Legally Bound
by jennlen522
Summary: Bella's career is her priority. She always had a plan,until Edward Cullen joined the firm. Love was never in the plan. With power struggles in and out of the courtroom, she learns that life is what happens when you are too busy making other plans.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No copywright infringement is intended. I do not own Twilight.

Legally Bound

It was the middle of May in Seattle. It was also Monday. I hated Mondays. I was slow to start today because my Sunday hadn't worn off yet. I sipped my second latte while I waited outside Judge Black's courtroom in the hall of King County Superior Court. He was a new judge in this district and had filled his Monday docket with all pre-hearing matters and those ready to schedule for trial. ****

I felt a little more than anxious today. I knew it was because I'm meeting a new Judge as well as a new associate, which was just announced on Friday. I probably shouldn't be too worried since this guy is Jasper's cousin, if he were related to Emmett, well that's a different story.****

Leaning against the wall near the clerk's office I spotted Jessica Stanley and Angela Webber as they walk out of the courtroom. Both were attorneys who work for Crowley and Newton, a law firm that specializes in real estate and probate matters.****

**"**Hey, Bella," Jessica chirped. Wow, she is way too cheerful for a Monday.****

I smiled. "Hey, how did it go in there? What's the new Judge like?" They exchanged a look before Jessica started. ****

**"**Oh, Bella, you haven't seen him yet have you?" she asked dramatically. I eyed her skeptically, wondering if she added a little something extra to her coffee.****

**"**O- kay, what am I missing here?"****

**"**He is so dreamy Bella," Angela cooed.****

**"**Geez, Ang, who uses 'dreamy' anymore? Look Bella, that man is movie star hot in a black robe," she stated matter of fact, putting her hand on her hip and jutting it out for emphasis. I think she may have drooled as well. I nodded my head and took another big gulp of my latte.****

**"**Wow. So, did you learn anything about what he likes in his courtroom or how he handles things?" I asked, annoyed that all they seemed concerned with was getting under his robe. "I'm a little more worried about presenting these cases at trial than getting a date." Yeah, I was feeling a little snarky this morning, sue me. It's Monday and she's too damn happy.****

**"**Well, he seems to be pretty easy going. Not uptight at all. He's taking all the cases by firm group rather than by case number or party name so that's a little different. He said it was just his way of trying to get to know all of the attorneys who would be practicing most frequently in his court," Jessica said quickly, recognizing that I was in mood for gossip. ****

**"**Hmm. That's good, right? I mean, normally we hang out here waiting half the day," I commented, liking this new judge already.****

As Jessica began ranting about how Judge Black called out some of the older lawyers on their unwillingness to follow his courtroom procedure and I felt myself zoning out. I nodded along where I should considering the Judge's plan as a good sign. ****

Even though it meant being put on the spot to present all four of my motions at one time, at least I didn't have to wait around all day in between other cases to get this done. After I presented my cases the only thing left on my schedule today was editing my brief work from this weekend. ****

It's not often I get to have an afternoon without clients or meetings, maybe I could meet Alice for a late lunch, or better yet, an afternoon of online shopping. A girl could never have enough summer shoes! Jessica's voice blurred in and out of focus, but all I could hear was Jimmy Choo's calling my name.****

I was just about to excuse myself to head into the courtroom when I caught a glimpse of Mike Newton in conversation with another guy coming off the elevator. My eyes were suddenly locked on a very new, very lickable face. Yes, I said lickable.****

Jessica stopped yapping and leaned in closer whispering, "Oh, there's Mike, I guess he made it back from his 'long weekend' with his latest slut. He really just makes me sick," she finished, her face contorting with disgust.****

I feigned interest as I continued to watch Mike talking to the new guy I'd never seen before. He looked the lawyer type, his suit midnight black, a white shirt and light blue tie peeking out, professional, but not flashy. My eyes scanned his toned body, right down to his shiny leather shoes and briefcase. _Nice._****

I slowly scanned up his lean, muscular frame, immediately noticing his hair. Wait, what the hell happened to his hair? Did he just wake up? It was all short on the side and totally fucked up on top.****

But, honestly, it kinda made me want to crawl up his body, just to touch it. ****

All of the sudden my affinity for not gossiping had flown out the window. Retracted. Rescinded. Because I was most _definitely_in the mood for gossip now. Just when I'm about to demand details from Jessica I overhear Mike's parting words. **  
><strong>  
>"Well it was good to see you Cullen. Since you're in Seattle now, we should play some cards, catch a game," Mike said, smiling.<strong><strong>

**"**Sounds good. We'll set it up." Ah, he speaks. And such a silky voice at that. ****

Wait. What? _That_is Edward Cullen. I immediately try to down the rest of my latte so I can ditch it and avoid meeting our new associate before my court appearance.****

**"**Jessica, did he just say 'Cullen'?" I asked, trying not to choke.****

**"**Yeah, that's Edward Cullen. I heard he was joining your firm. He was LA's Top Young Lawyer for 2010," Angela whispered before Jessica could respond.****

Jessica motioned with her thumb to Angela. "Yeah, when we heard the rumor that he was coming to Seattle, Angela here Googled him and got the skinny on Edward Cullen, hotshot LA lawyer. Ow!" Jessica shrieked, glaring at Angela and rubbing her arm where Angela had smacked her.****

**"**Bitch, I wouldn't have Googled him if you hadn't told me you wanted to know all about Mr. Hotshot!" Angela whisper-yelled.****

**"**Well, I couldn't help it," Jessica defended, "being awarded Top Young Lawyer is a big deal, do you know how many attorneys there are in LA?" she asked, her eyes, widened comically. "He must be amazing." She sighed, cutting her eyes toward him.****

**"**Okay," I interrupted before they drew any more attention to themselves, "its been lovely, as usual. I'm gonna toss this and head in there," I added, walking away. I had to get away from the Sweet Valley High twins and their love for Mr. Hotshot. I hadn't even met the guy and he was already on my nerves.****

**"**Okay, then, see you later," Jessica called.****

**"**Good luck today," Angela added. Both gave me a wave as they turned and walked towards the exit. I waved back absently as I continued to try and suck the bottom out of my latte, when I heard a someone clear their throat next to me.****

**"**Yes?" I asked, lowering my cup to get a better look at Mr. Hotshot.****

**"**This is Judge Black's courtroom right?" he asked, pointing to the door up ahead on the right.****

**"**Yes, it is. Bella Swan, nice to meet you," I said, nodding my head.****

**"**Edward Cullen, nice to meet you."****

**"**Yeah, Cullen, you're joining the McCarty Group? That's my firm," I said, maybe putting a little more emphasis on the 'my' part than necessary.****

I smiled, noticing that he was staring at my lips intently, his eyes narrowing slightly. I back away a little not really comfortable with how closely he's studying my face. His mouth pulled up on one side, a look of amusement on his face before he made some weird choking noise. _Wait, was that a giggle? _****

He shook his head, and gave me a smile that made me feel all melty inside, and a little more annoyed if I was being honest. He then proceeded to ask me about Judge Black so I told him what I had learned from the Bobsy Twins.****

**"**I'm anxious to get admitted to the Superior Court Bar today so I can actually begin working on cases this week," he said with a mix of confidence and excitement. I turned and tossed my empty cup, wanting to leave before he can start detailing how wonderful he was, but before I could escape be began talking again.****

**"**You know, I typically handled only the most high profile criminal cases in Los Angeles," he boasted, somehow managing to seem proud and shy at the same time. I'm equal parts annoyed and impressed that he can be so cocky and yet somehow humble all at once. He leaned towards my face, a little too close for my comfort and spoke lowly. ****

**"**So, are you gonna present these motions today or do I need to show you how its done?" he whispered, a smirk on his lips. Oh, no he didn't.****

**"**Hmm. Are you worried I'll do it better than you?" I asked with a smirk of my own. If he thought he could intimidate me, he was in for a surprise. He tilted his head back and laughed. ****

**"**No, Swan. Trust me, I'm not worried in the least about my abilities," he said, and if I didn't know any better I'd think he might have put a little more emphasis on 'abilities' than necessary.****

The halls began to fill with lawyers again and I knew I needed to end whatever was going on here. It was making my insides feel weird and at the same time causing steam to flow out my ears like a cartoon character.****

**"**Hmm, well now, Cullen, maybe you should be worried," I simpered, not willing to let him have the last word. We locked eyes briefly his eyes still focused on my lips. I was beginning to think this guy had a serious fucking problem when he smirked and leaned so close that I could feel his warm breath fanning my ear.****

**"**Oh, no, Swan," he breathed, "because you see," he added conspiratorially, "I'm not the one with a latte foam mustache." He pulled away abruptly, a wide smile stretched across his face as another giggle escapes his lips. I stood there gaping at him as he swiftly turned and walked away. ****

**"**See you at the office, Swan," he called out over his shoulder, not bothering to look back. I snapped my jaw shut, fuming that I'd made it so easy for him to have a laugh at my expense. Well, I'd show him, Mr. Hotshot really had no idea who he was dealing with. I straightened by shoulders and lifted my chin defiantly. ****

**"**Cullen, wait!" I yelled, putting a little extra sway in my step when I noticed him turning to face me.****

**"**What, Swan-" he started with an exasperated look before his jaw slackened a bit. I reached the spot where he had stopped in the hall and moved close enough to invade a little of his personal space for a change.****

**"**I just want to ask you one more thing," I said breathlessly, widening my eyes the way I knew made me look innocent and vulnerable. ****

**"**And, uh, what is that?" he stuttered. I leaned in closer still, giving him my best porn star gaze while I slowly extended my tongue and licked all of the incriminating latte foam from my top lip.****

**"**Did I get it all?" I purred. He gulped hard and began to choke and cough.****

**"**Oh...yeah." He nodded, dazed.****

**"**Thank you." I smiled, knowing that I'd won this round.****

I turned to leave, heading for the door, feeling his eyes one me. I didn't look back. ****

**"**See you at the office Cullen," I called over my shoulder the same way he had done earlier. Checkmate, asshole.****

I entered the courtroom, taking a seat near the back. I let out a long breath and laughed to myself thinking about my interaction with Cullen. He may have been top dog back in LA, but he was going to learn in a hurry that I wasn't afraid of his bark, or his bite.****

The door creaked open behind me, Cullen releasing the door gently before making his way down the isle towards the front of the courtroom and take a seat next to Mike Newton.****

I watched him for a few minutes before I noticed him looking over his shoulder, meeting my gaze. He smirked and gave me a nod. A silent confirmation that the second round goes to me. I just smiled and nodded my head in return.

**A/N: I have to say a huge thank you to livie79 and megschmegg for inspiring me, pushing me with kind words and basically telling me this really may be worth reading, 'cause you get me like that, yo! Special thank you to Liv's sprinkling of her super word fairy dust that made this kinda sparkle and junk. **

**If either of you ever need a kidney or anything, it's yours. Js **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 2**

For the rest of the afternoon, my goal was to keep myself busy working on a settlement proposal that needed to be out by the next day. This would have been simple had I kept my door closed. I watched Edward breeze through the door to his office with his head down, checking his phone, and at that moment I promised myself that I wouldn't let Mr. Hotshot distract me.

Five minutes later I abandoned all thoughts of trying to maintain my composure when he walked to his couch, laid his briefcase down, and began loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt. I felt steam coming from my ears. _Is he seriously that inappropriate? _

I glanced up from my laptop and watched in disgust as he flung the dress shirt over the back of the couch, leaving him wearing his white t-shirt and black pants.

I sighed dramatically and got up from my desk, making my way towards my door. Then, as if everything moved in slow motion, he reached up to run both hands through his hair. Unfortunately, it was like one of those really bad train wrecks and I couldn't make myself look away before he turned and our eyes met.

Yep, I was totally caught staring with my mouth hanging wide open.

His sexy smirk said it all. He knew I had been watching the whole time. What he didn't know is that I wasn't at all amused with his little show. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He just smiled and winked at me as I reached for the doorknob.

"In case you didn't know, this is a law firm, not a strip club," I said through clenched teeth while narrowing my eyes at him.

"Yeah, I know," he responded coolly while tilting his head a little to the right. "But, I think you have something right there on your chin. Wait, is that drool?" he asked, leaning forward and looking closely at my chin before furrowing his brow in mock confusion. Instinctively, I brought my hand up to my chin.

"I absolutely do not have drool on my chin, you ass," I hissed. He threw his head back in laughter, sinking both hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, I know, but the look on your face was priceless." He continued to laugh.

"Yeah, well...put on a shirt," I stammered as I moved to close the door.

"Well, put on some shoes, Shorty," he countered and pointed to my feet as he continued to snicker. My shoulders sagged a little when I hastily looked down to find that I was indeed barefoot. I raised my head in time to see that he had turned and was walking down the hall away from me.

"Well...you..go comb your hair!" I shouted to his back as he sauntered further down the hall.

Kate, the receptionist, stuck her head around the corner and gave me two thumbs up. I simply waved her off and crossed my arms, watching as Edward retreated down the hall.

Just before he turned the corner towards Emmett's office, he twirled around and gave me the finger with both hands then disappeared. I let out a frustrated groan and quickly cut off the sound of his laughter with the slamming of my office door.

Okay, slamming my door and all was over dramatic, but I still fumed for the next two hours. I couldn't get over how crass and inappropriate he was acting. Edward Cullen was quickly proving that he was a huge dose of stupidity just wrapped in pretty package. I now cringed at the thought of having to share the second floor of our apartment building with him.

When Emmett first discussed with Rose, Jasper, Alice and me that Edward would be joining the firm, he also mentioned that Edward would take the apartment across the hall from mine. It made sense that he would also live in the building where the rest of us lived, especially since the place was owned by the firm.

After I met him this morning, I found myself actually looking forward to the change that my deliciously sexy, largely annoying, overly confident new neighbor would bring to my daily life. However, that all changed this afternoon and I had reached my Edward stupidity limit for the day.

In fact, I could only imagine what idiocy I would encounter when he starting hauling his shit into the apartment across the hall. That thought became reality when I arrived at the entrance of our building. I groaned because I knew the day wasn't over yet and there was a big ass moving truck to prove it.

When the elevator door opened to the second floor, I was faced with a wall of cardboard boxes. I knew then that 'idiocy' wasn't the right word to describe this. The first words that came to mind were 'Edward's cluster-fuck of a mess.' Yep. That pretty much covered it.

Frustrated, I sighed as I inched out of the elevator and made my way around the first wall of boxes only to be met with another. I huffed and shook my head as I continued through the maze of boxes towards my door. I was stopped short near Edward's open door by the sounds of thumping bass and what sounded like bottles clinging in his apartment.

"Oh, hell no!" I shouted over the noise when I reached his open door. Not only were they not moving boxes, Jasper, Emmett and Edward were playing Nerf basketball. I glared at the tiny basketball hoop that hung from the wall, trying to ignore the bass thumping from the speakers next to his television.

"Shit!" Emmett squeaked with a horrified look on his face. When Jasper and I made eye contact, he spewed his mouthful of beer across the room. Edward turned at the sound of my voice and gave me that stupid, smug grin.

"'Shit' is right. What the hell is all this shit and how many lawyers does it take to get it out of the hall?" I asked as I stared straight towards Edward.

"Well, it's my 'shit' as you call it and we should have it out of the hall soon, your highness," he spoke slowly and sarcastically before tossing the basketball one last time. He smirked and put his hands in his pockets, walking over to where I stood in front of his open door.

"Well, good to know." I pointed at his chest, punctuating each word.

Before I could move my hand away, Edward grabbed my index finger and held on, keeping me from taking it away.

"What the hell?" I asked incredulously as I jerked, trying to free my finger from his hand.

"Don't point it unless you are gonna shoot it." He chuckled and gave me that stupid grin that did crazy things to my insides.

"Don't touch me, you ass." I jerked on my finger a little. "Let go of my finger," I hissed.

"No." He leaned forward and whispered, so close that he caused me to lean back a little, before he straightened and gave me a lazy smile.

"Wait, are you drunk?" I asked as I stepped back into the hallway, closer to my apartment door.

"Eh, maybe just a little." He squinted and pinched his thumb and forefinger together, holding it up for me to see. For the first time since this morning, I smiled at his silliness. I shook my head and I tried to turn away, but he still held my finger hostage.

I eyed him closely for second then jerked our hands closer to my face, locked my eyes with his, and bit him hard on the knuckle he was using to hold my finger.

"Ow, damn!" he yelled, shaking his hand. "Now I probably need a tetanus shot, woman!" He continued to whimper, rubbing his knuckle.

"Oh, you can be sure I'm clean compared to the skanks you likely have chopped up into little pieces in these boxes." I laughed a little because, damn, that was good. Edward was stunned silent as I pushed him aside to address Emmett and Jasper who were laughing and joking across the room.

"Hey, Emmett, you and Jasper better cut out the party and help get these boxes out of the hallway. Otherwise I'll have to call your wives and let them know how much you guys missed shopping for new lamps tonight," I sang out. "They were pretty upset you guys were blowing them off to help this one move in." I jerked my thumb towards Edward and bobbed my head in Emmett and Jasper's direction.

I heard Edward snicker behind me as I turned back around to face him. "And as for you, creepy drunk neighbor boy, this shit better not be out here in the morning or it will be on the street. You get me?" I scowled, then hid my laughter as I turned and opened my door.

"Whatever. We'll move 'em only because we certainly don't need you sticking around here just so you can boss us around." He laughed as he waved a hand towards the mess in the hall. _You have got to be kidding me? Seriously? Did he really just try reverse psychology to get me to hang out with them?_

"Good, because I've reached my limit of stupidity for the day. Besides, I wouldn't want to ruin the moment when you start opening boxes and reminiscing with your boys over your beauty pageant trophies over there." I jerked my thumb towards the box marked 'trophies' and smiled smugly as I walked through my door.

"Yeah, whatever, I could totally get you back if I wasn't buzzed, you know," he muttered as I sat my keys on the side table inside my door.

"Sure you would, Hotshot." I smirked and closed my door while he stood there, narrowing his eyes at me with his lips formed into a small pout.

I closed the door and waited until I heard his door click across the hall, then I doubled over in laughter, having the best laugh I'd had in weeks. Pushing Edward's buttons was gonna be so much fun and maybe this neighbor thing would be interesting after all. It seemed like alcohol was the key to making Mr. Hotshot a little less of an ass hat.

I quickly composed myself and as the evening progressed I lounged on the couch with popcorn and a _Grey's Anatomy_ marathon. After three hours of staring at McDreamy, I finished the last of my wine, making my way to the kitchen as I yawned and stretched away the day.

I showered and settled in bed for some reading, but I couldn't shake this edgy feeling and the unmistakable energy that I had felt buzzing between Edward and I when I stood close to him today.

I shook my head a little to clear it. However, it didn't last long before I heard him moving about in the laundry room we share through the adjoining doors to our apartments. As if on cue, I could feel this weird need for closeness tugging at me. It was the same feeling that had been nagging at my subconscious throughout the day.

_Ick. Stop!_

_First, you work together. Second, he is a complete man-whore._

I tried and failed at reading a new book when I realized I had just read the same paragraph for the third time. My phone buzzed beside me on the bed. I sighed and rolled my eyes when I saw that the text was from Edward.

What are you doing? -E

Reading in bed -B

What are you wearing? -E

Stalker. Aren't you supposed to call and do some heavy breathing? How did you get my number? -B

You are on the employee phone list. btw I heard your jaw hit the desk today. -E

You are sick. -B

I don't mind if you look. -E

Please don't say you are used to it. I may vomit. -B

Okay. Then I won't. -E

Vomiting now. -B

I don't mind that you bite either, js. -E

Ew. Go to bed. -B

I am in bed, all alone :( -E

Stop drunk texting me. You should know that I keep a record of these messages. -B

Night Bella ;) -E

I rolled my eyes again and decided to give up on trying to read because now the only images my mind could focus on were those of Edward's stupid ass lying in bed, naked, and...I huffed because I was utterly disgusted that I could even let my mind even go there.

The only thing I truly knew was that my simple, normal life had changed. If the events of one day were any indication, I dared to only think what manner of fuckery Edward would bring to it from now on. I slapped my pillow and groaned aloud as I rolled to my side and turned off the light.

A/N: Seriously – livie79 and iambeagle- couldn't have done anything without you. Livie79 said look at this again and stop freaking out. Iambeagle you can punctuate me any time you want girl. You both are the best. No words, just hugs, and lots of beer while standing around a barrel at a field party sending drunk texts. That is all. :) 


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 3**

"Faster," I whined and took a deep breath.

"Patience, my dear. Besides, if you hadn't bitten half my finger off this wouldn't take as long."

"Please, that was two days ago. Grow up," I huffed and moved closer to him to get a better look at what he was doing.

"Wait, I feel it. Almost there."

"Damn, wiggle it just a little and hold your tongue lithe thith." I punched his shoulder and pointed at my tongue which I had stuck out at the corner of my mouth.

"What, like thith? Thath's inthane." He giggled, shaking his head and going back to what he was doing.

"Oh, there, Edward. So close."

"Now that's what I like to hear, babe," he whispered slowly, his voice laced with seduction.

"Shut up." I slapped him on the back of the head. "Get back to work. I think I hear the lock turning."

"Look, bossy pants, back off. I know what I'm doing." His shoulders tensed and released as he tilted his head and continued to work the rickety lock on my door.

"All those years of picking girls' locks are finally paying off, huh?" I crossed my arms and gave him a smug smile.

He knelt in front of my door, turning to look at me where I stood behind his shoulder. His green eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Trust me. Getting in is something I happen to do very well." He gave me that melt-my-insides smirk then winked before turning back to the door and resuming his work.

"Ah, whatever, just get this damn door unlocked or I'm gonna piss on your leg." I rolled my eyes and shuffled my weight back and forth trying to hold off my bladder.

_Click_

"There, I got it. Now go." He laughed as he pushed the door to my apartment open and rose from where he had been kneeling on the floor.

"Come in and stay, okay? I'll do thank you's after I pee." He nodded and waved me off.

In the bathroom I glanced at myself in the mirror as I washed my hands. I saw a woman who wore a huge smile on her face. I couldn't remember the last time I had seen myself smile like that, especially after what Edward and I had went through to get the door unlocked. _Edward and I? Hm._ I smoothed my hair and exited the bathroom to find him standing in the living room, holding the remote and flipping channels on the television.

"Hey, you want something to drink? I have beer, wine, or water?" I stood in front of the fridge and called out over my shoulder.

"Sure, beer's fine." I handed him the beer as he leaned casually forward, resting on his elbows at the opposite end of the island counter top while I poured a glass of wine.

"So, my bladder thanks you and I thank you." I smiled and raised my glass. My bladder actually wanted to name him hero of the day and put his picture on a billboard.

"No problem. What would you do without me?" He held his arms out to the side then raised his bottle and took a long drink.

"Well, first, I would have peed in the hall in front of your door, and then I would have gone back to the office to sleep. How does that work for ya?" I deadpanned, then watched him over the rim of my glass as I took a drink of wine.

"Hmm. Is there something about you I should know?" He raised a brow and eyed me closely. "I may be prettier than you, but I can keep a secret." He leaned over the bar and whispered before taking another drink.

"What are you talking about?" I scoffed. "You are delusional on both counts."

"Well, you did bite my finger and now you're spouting off about peeing at my door. I don't know, I mean, if you morph into some kind of werewolf or dog or something, well...I'd be totally cool with that." He took a drink then shrugged and patted me on the head.

I growled and gave him the the finger. He was caught off guard and started laughing so hard he snorted, spewing beer out of his mouth and down the front of his shirt.

"Now that shit is funny!" I shouted and pointed at him, continuing to laugh while I grabbed a paper towel for his shirt.

"Shut up, woman. There's nothing funny about me." He huffed a little and dabbed at his shirt while stealing glances at me from under his lashes, a slight blush covered his cheeks.

"You totally giggle snorted. _Yes_, that _is_ funny." Finishing my wine, I chuckled and looked away. At that point, it couldn't be helped. I knew if I looked at that blush any longer I was not going to be able to stop laughing.

"To answer your question, no, I'm not a dog or a werewolf. And even though I'm sure you are quite possibly the Devil's spawn, and I know you deserved it, I'm sorry for biting your finger." I stuck my tongue out at him. He responded with a smirk and threw the beer soaked paper towel at me.

"Friends...who bite." He looked at this ceiling as if in deep thought. "It's a little different from friends with benefits, but, hey, I can work with that." He responded as he raised a brow at me and with his lips turned up into a small smile. He drained his beer and placed it back on the counter.

"Who said anything about us being friends?" I shot back with a smirk.

"Oh, you wounded me. Seriously? Lots of women find me very...friendly." He placed his hand to his heart and gave me a wide eyed look, trying to hide his laughter again.

That earned him a dramatic eye roll. "Really? Well, typically when someone figures out my secret, I have to kill them. Eh, I don't know, I might be able to make an exception. After all, too many people around here would come looking for you and I don't need that kind of exposure you know." I swiped at a non-existent piece of lint on my skirt.

"Um... well, friends it is then and thank you." He coughed and extended his hand. I took it and when our eyes met he gave me that thousand watt smile that always melted me into a puddle of girl goo.

"Well, good...and don't make me regret it, Mister." I raised my chin and nodded as I enjoyed the firm handshake between us. Then, just for good measure, I flipped him off again. I swore he couldn't do it again, but he giggled and it was infectious. It took all that I had to hold a serious look as he turned to leave.

"Well, I better go. But, look, I'm out of coffee and I'm too lazy to go the store. Could I come by here in the morning to share yours? Please?" His lips curled out into a pout and he gave me these silly puppy dog eyes.

"You're one of those neighbors who sponges off the rest of the building for groceries. I should have known." I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes at him.

"No way, it's _much_ more simple than that. I just want to drink _your_ coffee and see how pissed off I can get you first thing the morning. That's all," he stated nonchalantly as he opened the door and leaned against the door frame.

"Well, if it's only that. Jeez." I sighed and threw my hands up. "You better have your ass here at 7:45 or the coffee service stops, you got it?" I paused to scowl at him before I continued. "I take my coffee time seriously and I'm not gonna be late for work because you're too busy primping." I jutted out my hip and rested one hand there while I waved the other towards his hair.

"Got it, Bossy Pants." He gave me a serious look and saluted me.

Just as the door was closing, he stuck his head back in again. I had made it only as far as the couch when he called my name. "Hey, Bella."

"Yeah?" I sighed and turned around to face him as he moved to open the door a little wider, standing in the doorway again.

"By the way...I have a thing for biters." He made an exaggerated chopping sound with his teeth and winked.

I groaned and quickly picked up the television remote from the back of the couch. I threw it straight for his head. He made a move to dodge it, but he caught it and playfully threw it back to the couch.

"You're pushing it, Hotshot," I said as I narrowed my eyes and pointed my finger at him. He smiled before he walked out and pulled the door closed behind him.

I walked over to lock the door and struggled with it again. I made a mental note to call the next day about getting that lock changed out.

Heading off to my bedroom, I decided on an early bedtime. I knew I had better get some sleep if I wanted a few quiet coffee minutes before Edward came by. Maybe I _could_ do this friends thing if I could just keep those thoughts of beating him with a baseball bat to myself, for the time being.

I made myself stop thinking about him as I crawled into bed. I knew if I didn't I would have another night of crazy dreams about severed fingers and emotional-man-whore-vampire neighbors sucking the life out of me. I shivered at the thought, then settled lower under the covers. Edward...me..._friends_.

LB

The following morning I stood at the kitchen counter pouring my coffee when I heard a knock at the door. I unlocked the door, opened it and, before I could say anything, Edward breezed through my door with what looked to be my newspaper in his hand. Flinging his coat over the couch, he proceeded to help himself to my coffee pot as he stood in front of me and handed me the folded newspaper. _My _newspaper_._

"There's a good article on 10A." He tapped the paper and took a sip of coffee.

"You stole my newspaper." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I like to call it sharing amongst neighbors." He nodded and raised his cup.

"And the whole coffee stealing thing you have going," I waved my hand between our cups, "is that just part of your 'sharing' gig, too? I asked as I raised my cup to take a sip.

"Well, it seems to be working well so far." He shrugged, and with a smug smile he relaxed a little and leaned back against the counter across from me with his arms crossed, still holding his cup of coffee.

"Really?" I gave him a questioning look and scrunched my nose.

"Really, really," he deadpanned, using the most ridiculous Shrek voice I'd ever heard. I watched as his lips curled into that dazzling smile. I grabbed the counter behind me for a second, just for support.

"Quoting Shrek won't get you anywhere." I raised a brow and shook my finger at him.

"Hm, I see. You'd be surprised though." He smirked as he shrugged and continued to look at me while he slurped his coffee.

"What was that?"

"What?" His eyes scanned back and forth before landing back on mine, then he raised his cup and slurped his coffee again.

"That," I pointed at his cup, still in his mouth. "That god awful slurping."

"I didn't slurp."

"Um, yeah, you did. Real sexy, by the way." I shook my head..

"Some women think so, in the right scenario at least." He tilted his head and smirked as he placed his cup on the counter behind him while gripping the edge of the counter with his arms. "Besides, we were talking about my awesome Shrek voice before you interrupted me"

"I think I just threw up in my mouth a little," I deadpanned, coughing and patting my chest.

"You can't seriously tell me that Shrek voice of yours has gotten you anywhere with women," I stated incredulously as I took a drink of my coffee and eyed him over the rim of my cup.

He pushed away from the counter, stood to his full height and closed the distance between us. He was so close I could practically breathe him in and I'm sure he could feel my breathing pick up.

"Actually," he lowered his head so it was level with my forehead, his voice was low and raspy from sleep, "It's not so much the accent as it is the body language and what you say." He breathed the words with only a slight Shrek accent as he trailed his fingers lightly up my skirt, from my hip to my waist.

In thirty seconds this man had made me hotter than the scalding coffee in the cup I still held in my hand. I had to bring this back to a respectable point or I was seriously about to strip down and go super-freak on his ass before breakfast and that's just not what I was all about, especially not with him.

"Ew, step back, would you? Your cologne is gonna give me a migraine." I pushed him away and pinched my nose.

"Damn, and just when I was about to steal some cream." He snapped his fingers before quickly shifting to move around me to the fridge.

I gasped and stood there a little frozen for a second. I was stunned a little when I realized I found this whole morning coffee exchange kind of sexy. Before I knew it, he was bent over with his head stuck in my fridge. It was unavoidable. I lost all control of my eyes as I caught sight of his ass in those pants with the suspenders slung low and hanging to the side.

I closed my eyes and chanted to myself, _Edward is obnoxious, you don't want him, he is an idiot ass,_ then choked on my coffee and quickly poured it in the sink. Yep, I was back in reality and stepping away from Edward's ass.

"Wait, this isn't creamer. It's half and half," he said, with his head still inside the fridge. His brows were scrunched together when he stood up to look at me while rotating the carton in his hands.

"Whatever, it's all the same." I waved him off and grabbed the newspaper from the counter while I made my way to the kitchen table for my bag.

"It most certainly is _not_ the same. I think I'm a little crushed," he rambled on as he filled his travel cup and went over to grab his suit jacket from the couch.

"I think you'll live, Hotshot," I responded dryly, raising my brow at him. "Besides, that's what you get for stealing." I walked over and opened the door. He was right behind me and I smiled to myself because I just knew he wouldn't let this go without getting the last word. He couldn't, and the truth was, I didn't mind so much anymore. It's how we were.

We stood waiting for the elevator when I felt his arm brush mine. He leaned in closer; I leaned my head away, glancing at him from the corner of my eye as he spoke.

"Obviously, I'm just gonna have to teach you the difference between half and half and a _really_ good cream," he spoke slowly and seductively, maybe a little too seductively for a coffee and cream discussion. I saw him rock back on his heels, then he slurped that damn coffee again.

Fighting the urge to slap him on the back of the head, I clenched my fists and followed him into the elevator.

"Two things, dude. Stop invading my personal space and stop slurping that damn coffee. I swear you are really grating on my nerves this morning." I huffed and looked away from him, watching as the elevator landed on the first floor.

"Okay, not gonna respond to that since you're so chipper this morning. So, tell me, what you know about the Clearwater case?"

"Have you had a chance to review the file yet?" I asked as we exited our building onto the sidewalk. He brought his coffee cup to his lips and casually took a sip, not slurping, before shaking his head.

"Not really. I've been busy with some other things and I kinda hoped you would fill me in a little before I look at it today," he responded and looked away.

"Fine, but only because you're on this case and I need you to know," I hissed.

We lived only five blocks from the office so it wasn't a bad walk on days like today. I knew I should make the best of it even in light of the fact that what started as a good morning was totally going in the crapper given his attitude towards the importance of this case.

"What does the file say about Seth Clearwater's chances?" He sipped his coffee as we continued walking.

"Well, unlike you, I've looked at the file, and maybe once you decide you have enough _time_, we can really find the key to winning this case. I know Seth didn't do it and we just have to prove it," I stated flatly and watched as he bobbed his head and looked thoughtfully towards the sidewalk.

"What's his record look like?"

"He has no prior arrests, no history or behavior problems or abuse in any form. He hasn't even had a speeding ticket. This isn't the record of a guy who would commit rape against his estranged wife while wielding a deadly weapon," I responded, gesturing with my hands as we stopped at the intersection and waited for the light to change.

"Well, he wouldn't be the first you know? Plenty of men with no priors have committed crimes much worse than the charges he has against him. We need to find out what the community people witnessed of the relationship between he and his wife just before this." He looked at me briefly as he straightened his shoulders and slurped his coffee. I shook my head at his obvious logic, then we started to walk again.

"What are we gonna do in Forks, Boss?" He nudged my shoulder with his and gave me that lazy smile that does strange things to my insides. I nudged him back causing him to side step a little. He laughed and paused to adjust his jacket as I walked ahead of him.

"We're gonna visit with Seth's parents and anyone else outside the family that they recommend we speak to about the case. I have a feeling that Seth's wife was up to something. I just don't know how that got them to a point where this rape charge came about. I believe that something happened during the separation that made her file this charge and I don't think it was because he actually raped her," I finished just as we reached the door to our office building. He gave me questioning look, raising his brow as he opened the door and gestured for me to go in.

"You don't think he could have just gotten angry and raped his wife at gunpoint like she said? I mean, no one really knows what goes on behind closed doors. He may not be the person you think he is, Bella." He pursed his lips and continued to watch me, gauging my reaction. I knew this was his method, he gave me that look to try and shake me up, make me question myself. I hated when he did that to me.

I didn't answer. Instead, I set my shoulders and narrowed my eyes at him as we entered the glass doors of our office suite and stopped at the reception desk for our messages. Edward immediately began talking with the receptionist about his schedule for the day. As I flipped through my messages I felt like I was being watched. I slowly lifted my head and turned to see my four nosy friends eying Edward and I like we were some carnival sideshow.

I quickly glanced his way to see that he wasn't paying attention, then I turned and mouthed '_go away_' to all of them as they stood coupled up across the room. Alice just giggled and pushed Jasper who smiled before they retreated to his office. Rose smirked and started to walk away, but Emmett made some ridiculous humping motion. She quickly smacked him on his arm.

"Ow!" Emmett yelped and rubbed his arm.

"What did he do now?" Edward came over and asked as we watched Rose grab Emmett by the ear and pull him away from the lobby and down the hall.

"Oh, it was Emmett's usual. Nothing more," I lied. I can only imagine what they were thinking and I certainly wasn't ready to discuss it with them, much less give Edward any ammunition to torment me.

"How bout I put my things down and come into your office so we can finish discussing this case. I'd like to know the rest of your thoughts on this before I get the file. Is that okay?" he asked as we continued to walk down the hall towards our office. It didn't escape me that his hand rested on my low back as he led me to my door.

Again, I felt that stupid crazy energy between us as we stood there in hall. _What is that?_ I could only say that his touch made me feel like a live wire and it unnerved me to the point that I had to step away, just out of reach. I couldn't be distracted long enough to give it any more thought. We had work to do.

"Sure, I'm gonna get some coffee. I'll be right back." I dropped my briefcase on the couch and returned with my coffee. I turned on my laptop and pulled out the Clearwater file just as he sauntered into my office and flopped down into the overstuffed chair across from my desk. He slumped a little in the chair, crossing his arms and stretching his long legs in front of him to cross them at the ankle.

"Please continue, Bella." He nodded and gestured with his hand while speaking in some mock ominous voice. I scrunched my nose and stared at him for a second, confused.

"What's with you and the funny voices today?"

"I like to shake things up a bit. Makes life...less serious. You should try it some time," he responded, shrugging his shoulders.

"Okay...whatever." I shot him a look that only a crazy man deserved. "Anyway, I'm not saying she is crying rape and I don't intend to try to paint her as the 'town whore'. I just know that I'm right. I've known him all his life and I just know there's something simple we're overlooking in this case. It's our job to find it and I believe we will, in Forks." I leaned back in my chair, holding my coffee cup with both hands, and took a sip.

"Okay, well, we just have to talk to the family and go over the file again. After we finish that, I suggest we plan to interview Seth as soon as possible. More importantly, I think we should leave the investigating the rest of this to the police."

"And why is that?"

"Well, look at you. I really don't think you could pull off the whole black beanie and dark sunglasses look." He shrugged. "Just saying." And there was that dazzling smile again.

"Do we really need to go there? Seriously, you can't even comb your hair, much less fit it under a beanie. What makes you think you could pull off that look any better than me?" I asked as I raised my chin defiantly.

"Because I have this whole James Bond thing going on." He pointed at his body and made a sweeping motion with his hand. I automatically took extra notice of his lean body and long legs as he still sat reclined in the chair. _Such an ass head! _I gave him the finger and sat my coffee cup on my desk.

"Well, Bond Boy, get your ass out of my chair and go look over this file." I smirked as I held out the file, watching as he slowly got to his feet.

"So, Forks is _your_ hometown, right?" he asked as he took the file, shoving the other hand in his pocket.

"Yeah, and I plan to stop and say hello to my mom and dad while we're there. So I don't want to hear a word about it," I stated calmly, raising my brow at him. Again, he gave me that intense look. I tucked my hair behind my ear on one side and started to put away all the ink pens on my desk.

"Wow, meeting the parents already. I didn't realize you cared that much, Bella. But I'm good with that." He smirked, walking backwards towards the door.

"Would you shut the hell up?" I huffed, rolling my eyes. Deep down I kinda loved the shameless flirting that had leaked into our conversations over the last few days.

"We are not in a relationship, Edward. God, I know you want me, but you're not my type. You'll get your heart broken, babe," I responded dramatically, my words dripping sarcasm and then I shrugged just as he had done earlier. "Just saying." I was flushed and even though I thought I was being cute with my comeback, my heart was pounding in my chest.

"Aww." He put his hand to his heart. "It's so cute how you think I want you and all. But, we'll see who wants whom." His tone was equally sarcastic as he shot me a devious grin.

"Well, I'm pretty extraordinary. Just so you know, your usual shitty moves won't cut it. You better bring your A game."

"Point taken," he said as he raised his hands in surrender. When our eyes met, his green eyes danced with a mixture of mischief and sincerity. He opened and closed his mouth like he was gonna say something else, but instead he gave me that lopsided grin as I watched him disappear behind the closed door of his office.

I let my head fall back against my chair. _What the hell was I thinking when I said all those things?_ _Damn, Bella._

I closed my eyes and thought about all the rules I had set for myself when it came to men and dating. I thought about happily ever afters. I thought about my career and not letting a man stand in the way. But, actually, it was the thought of stuffing a smirking Edward in a six foot long duffel bag, with duct tape over his pretty mouth that made me smile.

I lifted my head and began rearranging the files on my desk. I needed something, anything to keep away thoughts that didn't center around my work, the kind of life I had built for myself. Letting a man get in the way of the things I wanted to accomplish on a daily basis wasn't me. It couldn't happen.

But somehow Edward did that to me. His presence was making me rethink everything and every goal I had set for myself. He was the first one, in a long time, to do that and he worked in the office directly across from mine.

That crazy stupid man who munched on cheese puffs that he took from his desk drawer at exactly two-thirty every day was the same one who liked cream and not half and half in his coffee. He was the one who helped me with the lock on my door, even after I bit him, and he was the one who wanted to be friends in spite of that. He was making me forget how much I enjoyed being alone.

It's not like I could avoid him, he was everywhere I went. Emmett had already assigned him to half of the cases I had. I wasn't so much irritated about partnering with him on cases due to his experience. It was the fact that he could melt me with a look one minute and make me crave a homicidal rage the next minute, that was doing a real number on my nerves.

I wasn't used to being confused or unsure of how to proceed. It was frustrating. He was frustrating.

I made a few notes on my upcoming cases and returned my calls from the morning. However, as the day continued on, my thoughts drifted back to Edward. Aside from his quirky work routine and the fact that I couldn't get away from him at all, I realized that not only was he nice to look at, he obviously had somewhat of a photographic memory and excellent grasp of legal theory which would always be a great asset for the firm. That's what was important here.

I made my way to the door of my office and turned off the light. I paused briefly outside my door. Edward's door was closed, but I watched through the blinds of his office window as he worked with his head down at his desk. At that moment, I admitted to myself that, although he and I butted heads a lot, we were both equally passionate about our work.

With that first concession that we may be more alike than I thought, came the realization that he was starting to get under my skin, in a good way. I knew then what I had to do. I had to focus on my work, my life goals, and forget all the rest.

00-00

**A/N:**

**Thank you to Liv for reading this and making it sparkle a little before her "eyes go out" for a couple of days for surgery. I know you will be fine. Just think, all the "pretty" will look so much clearer without contacts or glasses. **

**Thank you Meg for reading and fixing all the horrible grammar stuff, even when you were tired. It really means so much to me. Really.**

**Thank you also to Modernsafari1 and my non-twitter bestie, Jennifer, for pre-reading this for me. **

**:)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 4**

Saturdays were meant for sleeping in, lounging in pajamas and eating all the Chinese food I could possibly handle before falling into a lovely MSG induced coma. Yes, I loved Saturdays...or at least I used to.

I was startled awake by someone banging on my door. I slammed my fists into the mattress in frustration, eyed my clock on the nightstand, then hauled the covers back and stomped to the door.

The person on the other side knocked again just as I shouted, "Whoever you are, you better have a damn good reason for waking me up."

I flung the door open and A pudgy, dark-haired man stood in the hall wearing a gray uniform and matching cap adorned with an embroidered key. He blushed and quickly removed his hat.

"Yes? Can I help you?" I asked, crossing my arms, attempting to cover the fact that I wasn't wearing a bra and was basically standing in my door wearing an oversized sleep shirt.

"Um...yes, ma'am, I'm Emmett's guy. He, uh, sent me to replace the lock set on your door." He smiled sheepishly and replaced his cap on his head.

"Well, "Emmett's Guy" do you own a watch because it's like freaking 7:45 in the morning?" I grumbled.

"Yes, ma'am. He told me to come as quickly as I could today, so I decided to come here first since it was close to where I live and all. I'm sorry if I woke you. It won't take long." He gave me a genuine smile and extended his hand. "The name's Felix, ma'am."

I looked from his hand to his smiling face and decided I could release my boob long enough to be nice.

"I'm Bella." I shook his hand and gestured for him to come in to begin his work. He placed his tool box on the floor, lowering himself to one knee so he would be level with my door knob, and started fishing through his case for tools.

"Just go ahead and do whatever you need to do...and thank you." I gave him a tight lipped smile and turned to head back to my bedroom to change when I heard Edward's door open.

"Oh, hey, Felix, what's up man?"

"Hi, Edward. How's it going?" I turned to see them shaking hands and caught Edward's gaze over Felix's shoulder. He grinned and slowly eyed me up and down before turning his attention back to Felix.

"Hey, Felix, don't let this one scare you too much." He jerked his thumb in my direction and patted Felix on the back. "I will warn you though, she bites when she gets mad," he said, leaning down close to Felix and pretending to whisper, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Did you do this, call him and tell him to be early so he would wake me up?" I crossed my arms tighter over my boobs and scowled.

"No, that's all Emmett, babe. But, I'm glad I didn't miss the show." He chuckled and his eyes roamed my body again. Starting at my toes, his eyes worked their way up until his glittering gaze met my furious one. I literally felt steam coming out of my ears like a cartoon character.

"What's that supposed to mean and why are you up this early anyway? I thought you, of all people, would want your beauty rest," I spat back and tightened my boob grip again.

"It means...and Felix you should probably close your ears..." I watched as Felix covered his ears with his hands, his shoulders shaking with laughter. "While you're trying to hide your tits there, your t-shirt is riding up just enough to give Felix and me a pretty great view of your ass in those red panties your wearing," he stated, slowly and matter-of-factly, as he leaned casually against the door frame.

"And...I'm up because I'm late for a baseball game with Emmett and Jasper." His brows shot up as he pulled his baseball glove from under his arm and pushed away from the door.

My eyes narrowed further, if that was even possible. When I said nothing and closed my mouth, I watched his lips turned up on the side, forming a lop-sided grin before he winked in my direction and addressed Felix once more with a pat on the back. Then he paused, pulling a baseball cap from inside his glove, jerked it on his head and sauntered down the hall towards the elevator giving me a sly wave with his glove.

I was speechless. I looked at Felix whose smiling face was still covered in a blush that only rivaled the red of my underwear. He shook his head, snickered and continued to work on the lock. I groaned, pulled my sleep shirt down over my ass and stomped down the hall towards my bedroom. I made my bed and put on some shorts. Luckily Felix worked quickly and within a few minutes he handed over the keys to my new lock and exited my door with a tip of his hat.

I finished getting dressed and cleaned up around the apartment. Rose and Alice had insisted on having lunch today to catch up. I wasn't really excited about it, especially given my early morning wake up call, but as I entered the small cafe down the street from our apartments, the smells of lunch wafting through the air mixed with the sounds of laughter caused my mood to lift considerably.

"Hey there," I waved as I made my way over to the table and settled into the seat across from Rose with my back to the door.

"Hey Bells, glad you could make it," Alice chirped, looking up from the oversized menu.

"So what's everyone getting?" I asked, eyeing them both before turning back to look at my menu.

"I'm getting the biggest burger and fries they have. I went for a run today and learned that being healthy has no place in my Saturday routine," Rose quipped and took a drink of water.

"Me too. If I have another salad, I am bound to turn into a head of lettuce," Alice sighed.

"Okay, burgers all around then. Sounds good." I laughed and set my menu on top of the others just as the waitress came over and we placed our orders.

"So, Bella, let's get down to business. What's up with you and Edward?" Rose crossed her arms and leaned back with a devilish grin on her face.

"Yeah, Bella, spill it." Alice chimed in, shifting in her seat and mimicking Rose's stance.

"What? I can't believe you two. There's nothing going on with me and Edward." I responded, focused on separating my silverware and placing my napkin in my lap.

"Really?." They responded in unison.

"Really. Nothing. We're friends." My brows shot up as I looked between them both.

"Yeah, friends who fight like two kids on the playground." Rose scoffed and leaned over placing her crossed arms on the table.

"She's right Bella. I bet if you had worn pigtails last week, he would have pulled them and took off running like the boys did when we were thirteen." She laughed and raised an eyebrow. I sniffed and looked around the cafe, wondering where the waitress was with our food.

"Well, if I was single and Emmett was nowhere in the picture, I'd wear pigtails and let Edward tug all day, because that boy is fine, Bella." She said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder before she continued. "Trust me on this, you can deny a lot of things but I know you aren't blind." She finished with a nod.

"What's with the interrogation here? I thought we were gonna have some girl talk, not 'get all up in Bella's business' over lunch," I spat.

"Sooo...you aren't denying it, then?" Rose gave me a smug smile.

"Yep. I knew it. We've watched you two do this dance all week, Bella. What we don't know is what's going on up on the second floor of our building. Don't make us have to come up there and spy on you. I have night vision goggles you know," Alice admonished, as she leaned forward and waved her finger in my face. I huffed and rolled my eyes.

"If you must know," they both leaned across the table in anticipation of my response, "he is the most annoying egotistical man-child I have met in years. I have even had dreams about duct taping his mouth, beating him over the head and stuffing him in a duffle bag," I groaned. "But, _only_ because I am not blind, I will say this...Edward _is_ undeniably hot. Like Calvin Klein model hot. Are you happy now?" I asked, sitting back in my chair, I crossed my arms and waited for the backlash.

"I knew it. You like him. I told you, Alice," Rose said, as she slapped her hand down on the table causing the water in our glasses to slosh a little. I watched carefully as Alice's face broke into a wide smile. I rolled my eyes and looked out the window as the waitress walked over with our plates.

"Really, you guys, in what twisted world does 'beat him and stuff him in a duffel bag' say that I like him?" I shot back once the waitress left. "You two are dead wrong and I'm telling you that I don't need this shit right now. If you keep it up, you'll both end up in duffel bags, too." I shrugged and picked up the butter knife, pointing it at both of them. I twisted it a little just for show.

"I'll have to think on that twisted world thing and get back to you. In the meantime, what are you gonna do about it Bella?" Alice asked as she twirled a french fry in ketchup.

"What am I gonna do about what? I told you already, I don't like him like that. I simply confirmed that he's hot. Nothing else. Besides, I don't date co-workers. You both know this. I need to focus on work if I ever want to get into politics. I don't need the distractions that come with dating right now." I took a bite of my burger and looked from Alice to Rose. They both nodded in understanding.

"If you say so. But, sometimes you can't deny chemistry. And you two," Rose said while pointing a french fry at me, "definitely have chemistry. Bella, life is what happens when you're too busy making other plans." She shrugged and popped the french fry in her mouth.

"Whatever Rose, you totally stole that line from a greeting card or something. You can think what you want, but there's plenty of time later on for dating, right now just isn't it." I wiped my mouth and took another drink of water.

"Rose is right, Bella. Don't count out the possibility just yet. I mean, do you really want to wake up one day and realize you haven't taken the curlers out of your hair for over two months only to look around and see that you're sharing your bed with fifteen cats?" Alice asked. Her voice escalating as she held a ketchup covered french fry and waved her hands dramatically.

"Hey! Say it, don't spray it sister." I laughed and used my napkin to wipe away a blob of ketchup from my arm. That sent the three of us into a fit of laughter and gained odd looks from the rest of the diners. Our laughter was just enough to break the line of questioning about Edward and I was grateful to put an end to that.

"So, what time is the game over, Rose?" Alice continued to chew and looked at Rose. My ears automatically perked up. _I knew there was a reason for this big ass table_. _Dammit._

"Um..actually they should be here any minute. Emmett said they would just meet us here. We talked about going out tonight. Bella, are you in?" Rose responded and sipped her water, looking at me over the rim of her glass.

"I'll go. But, Jasper doesn't get to pick the place because I just can't handle another honky-tonk night. And you two," I narrowed my eyes at them both, "lay off this Edward business. I have a weapon here and I know how to use it." I waved my fork between the two of them to make my point.

"Scout's honor, Bella," Alice said as she held up her hand making what I thought was going to be a girl scout sign.

"Alice, that's the freaking Star Trek sign, you dork."

She looked surprised and shrugged. I laughed and shook my head.

Thankfully, we ate in silence for a few minutes. I was half-way through my burger and had started working on the giant plate of fries when I heard the bell ring that hung above the cafe door. I turned slowly to watch Jasper, Emmett and Edward come strolling through the door of the cafe. Like three seventeen year old boys, they laughed and shoved each other, still dressed in baseball caps, grass-stained pants and baseball cleats as they made their way to our table.

Emmett kissed Rose on the cheek and plopped down in the chair next to her. Jasper went around the back of Alice's chair to take the chair by the window and next to her. Of course, Edward slid behind me and pulled out the chair next to mine. I cringed a little, given the close proximity and the conversation I had just finished with the girls not minutes before the boys walked in.

Before I could register the looks on Alice and Rose's faces, Edward leaned over my arm, snagged a french fry, dipped it in ketchup and shoved it in his mouth as he looked at me, still wearing that goofy-ass grin from earlier this morning.

"Excuse me, did I say you could have a fry?" I scowled and scooted my plate further away from his reach. He continued to smile and when he reached over my arm again, I swatted his hand.

"Ow! Damn, it's just fries woman," He scowled and rubbed his hand.

"Then get your own plate dude. I don't share my food," I retorted, using my arm to shield my plate of fries. "Here, I'm done with this burger. Eat it." I shoved the burger plate in front of him just as the waitress appeared at our table to take their orders.

"Thanks, I'm starving." He picked up the burger and peeled off the top bun. "What, no onions?" he asked, looking at me like I had two heads.

"No. I don't eat onions." I shrugged, then reached for the plate, but he snatched it back and away from me.

"It's fine, thanks. I'll just order mine with extra onions," He snorted.

I huffed and went back to eating my fries.

"Did you by any chance run laps around the field and roll in the dirt? You smell, like really bad." I scrunched up my nose, noting the stain of sweat down the front of his t-shirt, I scooted my chair chair a little further away.

"Wait, where are you going?" He dropped the burger and grabbed my chair, pulling it back to its original spot. "How am I supposed to steal fries with you way over there? Besides, I don't smell any worse than those two freaks, right?" He held out his shirt with his hand and sniffed, then raised his arm to sniff his armpit.

"You are truly disgusting," I deadpanned.

"Aww, come on. I guess I could take this shirt off if you want." He reached over his shoulder with one arm and fisted his shirt. His eyes widened in an attempt to play innocent.

"Damn, put your arm down." I hissed and looked around the cafe before my eyes landed on the table behind and to the left of ours where four women sat, clearly salivating over this little stunt he was trying to pull.

"You are seriously gonna ruin my lunch with your stink. And stop trying to strip before they throw us out of here," I responded and grabbed his wrist to stop his little show. A giggle escaped his lips before he smirked and went back to eating the burger.

"Your loss babe, I've been working out." He shrugged and took another bite of his cheeseburger.

I ate my fries and noticed Edward had finished my burger while he chatted with the others and waited for their food to arrive. I heard laughter from that table of women just behind us. I looked over my shoulder and noticed that the four women at the table nearby were focusing their attention at our table. They were totally eye fucking Edward. I rolled my eyes at them, if they only knew how bad he smelled, they would think twice. I looked back to the stinking sexy beast on my left, then I scooted my chair a little further away from his.

"So, we were thinking of going out tonight. Drinks at Barley's. You guys up for it after your work out this morning?" Rose looked across the table to Edward, then back to Emmett and Jasper.

"Babe, you know I have more stamina than that." He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Sounds good to me though. Edward, you in?" Emmett looked at Edward for his response, but was momentarily distracted when the waitress appeared with their food.

"So, are you gonna go tonight?" Edward nudged my elbow with his as he lowered his voice and leaned close to my cheek to ask.

"Um..yeah. I guess. I don't have any other plans right now." I glanced at him briefly and looked back at my plate. He was smiling and it wasn't that obnoxious smile – it was soft, almost like he was happy about my response. I quickly shrugged that thought away as he reached over me to take his plate from the waitress.

"Sure, I'm in. What time should I be ready?" He spoke a little louder, looking back and forth between Emmett and Jasper, then back to me. He was being nine kinds of weird right then so I looked away, reached for my glass and took a drink of my water.

"Well, I guess nine would be good. Is that okay, Alice?" Jasper responded and looked at Alice, who nodded her head then looked directly at me and winked. I narrowed my eyes at her and she just giggled and elbowed Rose, who laughed as well. I shook my head and concentrated on finishing my fries, which were now half gone thanks to the fry thief next to me.

Conversation moved to a discussion of cases, changes in laws and law firm matters. However, I doubt it escaped notice by Rose and Alice that my plate of fries continued to move closer and closer to Edward's burger plate. Also, the more we all talked the less upset I was about the fact that I really hated sharing food. Unfortunately, I knew these girls well enough to know that they were holding their tongues until later that evening when they got me alone again.

When the guys finally finished we all stood from our chairs to leave. Emmett, Jasper and Edward walked together towards the counter as I dug through my purse for some cash while Rose and Alice chatted near the table. I put a couple of dollars on the table and walked up behind Edward, who was now alone and leaning over the counter talking to a very bubbly blonde waitress.

"Excuse me." I coughed loud enough to get his attention. The waitress gave me a sweet smile and winked. I sighed and moved to hand her the cash to pay for my meal.

"No worries hun, your boyfriend here took care of your bill." She continued to smile, rubbing Edward on the arm. My mouth fell open as I looked at Edward, waiting for him to clear up that mistake. He didn't.

"This one is most definitely not my boyfriend," I said, as I jerked my thumb in his direction. "So here." I threw my cash down on the counter. He hung his head, smiling for a moment, before he pushed off the counter.

"Thanks, Jane." He tapped the counter and grinned, then grabbed the cash and stuffed it back into my purse before he threw his arm around my shoulders.

"Come on girl, let's blow this joint," He said in a low husky voice as he leaned his head close to mine. Plastered on his face was a smile so wide it touched his eyes. _Focus Bella. No Distractions._

"Thank you for lunch and kindly remove your arm," I said as I gripped his arm and removed it from my shoulder, placing it at his side before we exited the door onto the sidewalk.

"Ah. I kinda felt like I owed you that much." He grinned and looked ahead at the other two couples walking in front of us.

"Really? Why is that?" I folded the cash and placed it back in my wallet as we continued to walk.

"Well, you did show me your lacy red panties and I didn't even have to show you anything of mine. So.." He shrugged, wearing a smug smile.

"You are the worst. Do you know that?" I groaned and shoved him hard on the shoulder. "Go up there and walk with the other idiots. Go!" I spat as I watched him jog ahead to walk with Emmett and Jasper.

Rose and Alice caught on and waited for me to catch up to where they were. They walked on either side of me, linking their arms in mine. It was nice and yes, I also noticed how nice Edward looked wearing a baseball cap, the sweaty t-shirt that clung to his chest, and damn, those baseball pants. I had the perfect view of his ass and I couldn't help but stare. I glanced from Rose to Alice, raising a brow.

The three of us to burst into a fit of laughter and just once, after a week of fighting so hard to stay focused, I let myself enjoy the moment and Edward's ass in those baseball pants. After all, they were right, I certainly wasn't blind. I just couldn't let Edward know that.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 5**

Within ten minutes of being back on the couch at my apartment, I had nodded off twice and it was only four-thirty in the afternoon. I gave up and shuffled to my room, setting the alarm as I snuggled under the covers for a quick nap.

I was having one of those dreams where I had overslept, the beeping sound of my phone alerting me to a new text sent my heart into overdrive. I bolted upright in the bed, grabbing for my phone and fell face first into the rug on the floor.

"Shit balls!" I slammed my fist on the floor before tugging my legs free of the tangled covers and looking at my messages. Groaning, I realized there were three from Edward.

**Help-E**

**Ok, really, hello...-E**

**Please Help! Laundry room-E**

I sighed as I stomped over to the adjoining door, flinging it open with a little more force than was necessary.

"You'd better be bleeding in here or el-," I yelled. But the rest of my words were cut off when I caught sight of Edward standing in the middle of the laundry room. His worn jeans and t-shirt were covered in suds. The washing machine churned nearby as suds continued to drift from the lid and onto the floor. Edward stood there, motionless, with the most horrified look on his face.

I wanted to yell and scream. I was tempted to punch him in the junk. But the only thing I could do at that moment was laugh. The look on his face was a cross between horror and extreme embarrassment. To top it all off, he had a little blob of suds sitting on top of his head that made him look like a giant smurf. It was priceless. I giggled harder, covering my mouth with my hand and pointing at his head. After a minute or two, I got a hold of myself and did what any normal "friend" would do. I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture.

"Noooooo!" he screamed, just as I took the picture. That only made me laugh even harder because in the picture he looked like that little kid from the Home Alone movies who screamed when he put on the aftershave.

"Okay, okay, now you have had your fun. Can you please help me here?" He rolled his eyes as he motioned to the suds covering the floor and himself, resting his hands on his hips.

"So what'cha got going on here?" I asked, feigning ignorance, as I leaned against the door frame.

"Oh, nothing much really," he sighed nonchalantly. "Just a little laundry...that fucking exploded! Now can you please stop laughing and tell me what we need to do here," he finished, half laughing, half screeching as he ran his hands through his hair, spreading more suds through it.

I coughed, trying to hide my laughter. "Okay, um..go get some towels." I looked down taking stock of the suds covered floor. "Like, a lot of towels. Go! Move it!" He turned and jogged through his apartment. When I knew he was gone, I lost it again.

"I can hear you laughing you know," he yelled from inside his apartment.

"I know. I'll stop. I promise." I was wiping tears from my eyes when he appeared at the door carrying no less than ten white towels stacked neatly in his arms. I coughed out another laugh, because I knew that all those would have to be washed and well...the irony was funny. I just couldn't help it.

"Okay, enough. Really," he said dryly, as he handed me a couple of towels.

"I can only guess that _you_ don't know how to do laundry. Am I right?" I asked, as we both got on all fours and began soaking up the suds with the towels, working in opposite directions across the floor.

"Mom always did my laundry." He shrugged and continued to move his towels across the floor.

"And when mom stopped doing your laundry, you got some dim-witted girl to do it for you?" I quirked my brow and looked at him over my shoulder.

"Something like that. Only not as _sleezy_ as you make it sound." He blushed, moving the towel in a circle over the floor.

"Yeah, right." I shuddered.

"Women just want to get all domestic and do shit like that for me. Hey, I can't help it if I'm just that good," he retorted.

"Whatever." I snorted. "We may share this laundry room, but your dirty underwear...that's all you buddy." I grabbed my towels and stood so that I could wring them out over the sink opposite the machines while he stood and walked over to do the same.

"So, will you at least show me how to do laundry? Otherwise, I may be forced to use my charm on some random female in order to get my boxers washed." He hung his head and looked up at me up from under his lashes. I jerked the towels from his hands and began wringing them out in the sink.

"Is that the best you got? Really?" I shook my head and watched as the water continued to flow from the towels.

"Well..." He moved closer to me at the counter and trailed a finger slowly up my spine. "I can always show you what I mean?" Goosebumps covered my arms. I closed my eyes for a second to compose myself.

"Um, not gonna happen. And this..." I motioned with my hands around the front of my body. "This is my personal space." I emphasized each word and sidestepped him to separate and shake out the towels.

"And why not? I totally saw you checking out my ass earlier today," he said with a smile.

"I did not," I shrieked. Because, yeah, I definitely checked out his ass.

"Um, yeah. You did. And who knows what might happen when I really turn on the charm. I mean, look at me. Seriously? Like you could resist this." He stood back, smirking, as he held his arms out at his side.

"I can and I will."

"You think so, eh?" Narrowing his eyes, he crossed his arms and leaned against the door leading to his apartment.

"Yep. And you should probably go check the mirror. You kinda look like a smurf." I waved my hand in the direction of his head. His lips parted a little as he stood there staring.

"Here." I handed him a dry towel. "You wouldn't want to ruin your game over some suds," I added, and turned back to the sink. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye as he turned and walked slowly into his apartment.

By the time I had finished going over the fine art of sorting whites from colors and how to make sure such a suds disaster didn't happen again, Rose called to let me know that the others would be waiting in the lobby when I was ready to come down for our night out.

It was just after nine when we entered Barley's, an upscale, decent-sized micro-brewery within walking distance from our apartment. Once inside, we gravitated toward a leather sofa, coffee table and three overstuffed chairs that formed a semi-circle in the corner of the room near the bar. It was a comfortable space. For once, we had enough room to socialize without having to stand around a table or sit at the bar.

"Emmett, my man, go get us beer!" Rose slapped him on the ass.

"Sure thing. Jasper, give me hand?"

"Ladies, save us a seat," Jasper drawled, winking at Alice.

"Where did Edward go?" Rose craned her neck to scan the room. "Oh, there he is. Is that Judge Black's clerk he's talking to?" she asked, pointing to where they were standing on the other side of the bar.

"Um..yeah, I think so. That's Christy. She's nice," I responded, sitting down on the couch next to Alice.

"Hmph, I bet," Rose commented with a scowl and began passing out the glasses of beer as Jasper and Emmett approached.

Luckily, Alice changed the subject and dished the latest gossip on Jessica Stanley and Mike Newton's supposed non-affair situation. We cackled, watching Jessica's over dramatic attempts at flirting with other men to make Mike jealous.

Three rounds of drinks later, the girls left me on the couch where I was content to people-watch for the time being.

There were so many familiar faces that I couldn't help but smile. I always found it funny how alcohol caused normally mature professionals to act like horny teenagers. I made my way to the bar to order another drink when I saw Tanya Danali, my college suite-mate, walk through the door with her husband, Garrett. I drained my beer and smiled as I walked towards her.

"Bella, it's so good to see you," Tanya exclaimed, pulling me into a hug.

"Hey yourself. How have you been?"

"I've been good, just very busy. How about you?

"Good. I was about to get another drink. Come sit, let's catch up." I motioned to the bartender for another beer. We grabbed our drinks and I ushered her back to the couch so we could talk without all the noise of others standing near the bar.

Never one to beat around the bush, Tanya dove right in. "Well, Garrett and I are finally talking about having kids and I'm really excited about that. And work, well...it's good that I ran into you. I was gonna give you a call on Monday so we could talk about something." She eyed me cautiously.

"Really, what's up? Wait, you're still standing in for the City Attorney, right?"

"Yeah, actually I am. But not for long. Unfortunately, Mr. Volturi is going to have to resign. He plans to announce that on Monday. They asked me to take on the job. I don't want it. I've been doing it for a while now and I'm ready to have babies."

"What happened with Mr. Volturi?"

"Well, the diagnosis is cancer and Aro just isn't feeling up to fighting the illness and keeping up with cases at the same time. I think his age is a huge factor in his decision. Either way, the City is supporting him so that a replacement can be made fairly quickly and I want to recommend you for the job." She smiled over the rim of her glass, taking a sip before placing it on the table in front of us.

I was speechless. I grew up dreaming of being a lawyer like the smart independent women I had seen on television. Once I joined the debate team in high school that decision was only further cemented in my mind. When I entered law school and began keeping up with world news and legislative issues, I realized that someday I wanted to use my degree to make a difference when it came to the laws that affected my friends and neighbors. This was the opportunity to realize a dream; to finally have my career goal met. Getting this position would allow me to accomplish both of those goals at the same time. I didn't know what to say, yet I barely hesitated as she stared, wide-eyed, waiting for my response.

"Wow. Yes, I want it. I mean...I want to try," I sputtered.

"Great! The formal announcement will be made on Monday. I really want this for you, Bella. I remember all the times in college that you made me watch those stupid political debates on television and I just knew this would be the perfect for you." She smiled warmly.

"Yes, this is... awesome actually. I wouldn't have to leave the firm though, right? I mean, I'm not ready to make a move. I don't want to do that to Emmett and the others, but this is ...really, just what I've always wanted." My knee was bouncing, I could barely contain my excitement.

"No, all the work would be handled in your office, through an assistant and other associates at the City Attorney's office. It wouldn't be a problem at all and having the lead City Attorney in-house would actually be great publicity for McCarty Group." She grinned, nudging my elbow.

"Thank you. Really. This is great news," I said, laughing and reaching over to pull her into a fierce hug.

I was on cloud nine as Tanya continued to talk. I felt like some of the pieces of my life, like a puzzle, were finally coming together. I did my best to try and listen to anything else she said after that. Soon, Garrett joined us and I barely paid attention as they discussed kids and runny noses. Before she walked away, we made plans to talk early next week after the formal announcement. I would email her my resume so that she could enter her recommendation at the same time.

I noticed Edward from across the room as I waited at the bar for a vodka tonic. I treated myself to one, or maybe three, while I watched him mingle, laughing with some of the ladies from the clerk's office and other lawyers we knew.

Edward had a way of blending with most any type of person or group. The way he talked, the way he moved, exuded power, integrity, intelligence, and sex appeal. _Damn, that man could wear a suit._ I choked a little on that last thought and while looking around to make sure no one noticed, my eyes landed on the sitting area in the corner. Alice and Rose were again sitting on the couch. Alice was clearly tanked, pawing at Rose's arm as Rose laughed and motioned for Jasper to come and save her.

After four beers and three vodka tonics, I was in the mood for a cigar. Emmett, Edward and Tyler Crowley stood in a circle in the cigar lounge, laughing, drinks in hand, surrounded by a cloud of smoke. Emmett was retelling some hideous locker room incident from high school when I hip-checked Edward. He laughed as he pulled out a cigar and lit it for me before sliding his arm around my waist and continuing to listen to Emmett.

This was certainly new; his hand around my waist. Edward was definitely drunk and he must be one of those touchy-feely kind of drunks. I began to over-analyze all the ways this could go, good and bad. As I tried to stop over-thinking things, I couldn't help but notice how warm and safe I felt with his hand draped low on my hip, his thumb rubbing small circles against my side.

_Damn vodka tonics must be giving me the warm fuzzies._

I stopped my internal ranting and declared to myself that if vodka tonic was the devil, then Edward Cullen had a sinful touch. I smiled, because what the hell, I had already danced with the devil three times at the bar. I can afford a little touch, right? I'll roll with it for a change.

"Why are you so smiley tonight?" He smirked. I giggled.

Again, I wanted to blame it on the alcohol or the good news I had received from Tanya. But if I was being honest the giggle that escaped my lips was all about having his arm around me, his warm breath that smelled of bourbon and vanilla floating near my cheek, and having those shining green eyes staring into mine.

"Can I not be shiny and happy?" I countered, releasing a puff of smoke and moving my lips to make smoke rings.

"Shiny and happy does suit you better," he said with a smile before glancing over my shoulder.

"You just checked out my ass," I deadpanned, studying my cigar before looking up at him again.

"Yep," he said, popping the 'p' and gripping my waist a little.

He didn't look me in the eye as he blew smoke rings in the air. Emmett and Tyler were laughing loudly and bickering back and forth about sports teams. They didn't even notice that we were still standing there, much less paying any attention to what we were saying. His arm was still draped around my waist, and feeling the warmth of his skin I wondered just how long I could get him to keep it there.

"You have absolutely no shame do you?"

"At least I openly stalk you. You're just a creeper, doing shit on the sly when you think no one is looking." He tilted his head in my direction, raising an eyebrow as he blew a smoke ring in my face. His eyes were bright under lazy eyelids. Edward was most definitely drunk. _I think I like drunk Edward._

"I do not. And since when have you openly stalked me?" I scrunched my nose and fanned away the smoke.

"Hmm." Leaning closer, his lips grazed my earlobe as he spoke low and seductively in my ear. "Every single day, in every thought, since the day we met." I stood there gaping at him. I was stunned.

Either Edward was more drunk than I thought or alcohol was like truth serum. I wasn't sure if either possibility made any real sense. I didn't have time to press him for an explanation before he drained his glass, setting it on the table nearby. I watched his fingers as he slowly stubbed out his cigar, turning his head to the side, he gave me a lazy smile and winked before slowly walking to the door of the cigar lounge.

"You coming?" He stopped, holding the door for me. I couldn't move. For the second time in an hour, I was fucking speechless. I had to know why he said that. I mean, what the hell just happened here?

"Who are you and what have you done with Edward Cullen, huh?" I poked his chest, as I caught up to him and walked through the open door and into the crowded bar.

"I guess I'm just opening my eyes. Getting older. None of this is really all that fun anymore. I don't know." He sunk his hands in his pockets while looking around the room.

"You are seriously killing my buzz. What have you been drinking, so I can make sure I don't have it?" The bar was so full now that our bodies were shoved as people passed by and we were now touching at the waist. Looking up at him, I grinned, noticing his eyes were somewhat darker now.

"I guess that's what Southern Comfort does to me. I'm kind of tired of playing games. Aren't you?" he sighed.

"Okay, definitely won't be drinking Southern Comfort anytime soon. But, yeah, I see your point..sort of," I stammered. I knew there was something more brewing underneath all this. I just wasn't quite ready to have that conversation yet, so I avoided it. Just avoided it. Looking up at him again, I saw that my apprehensive smile mirrored his own.

"Come on, um.. let's find the others," he said, as he ran his hand across the back of his neck before lowering it to usher me forward through the crowd. I felt the coolness of his wristwatch as his arm fell lower resting just at the base of my spine. There it was again. That feeling of being safe and secure with just a touch. I was about to declare myself insane, when Rose came over and thankfully interrupted whatever the hell was going on between us.

Apparently, Alice had announced that she was going to hurl if we didn't get her to bed, pronto. So Rose and I walked Alice outside to get some fresh air while we waited for the guys close the tab.

"Edward was looking good tonight Bella. You should'a hit that," Alice slurred in some freaky attempt at a gangsta voice, then hiccupped so loud it echoed through the alley nearby. Rose and I cringed at the same time.

"Yeah, okay Alice." I chuckled and twirled my finger next to my temple behind Alice's back as I looked at Rose, swaying a bit myself. She snickered as she reached for Alice's arm only to have her jerk it back and stumble.

"What, you bitches making fun of me. Huh?" Alice screeched, stumbling towards the brick wall near the door. Rose and I watched as Alice gently placed her face against the brick wall.

"This is a really nice brick wall. It's all cool and shit. Wonder if I could lick it. I really wanna to lick it," she cooed, stroking the brick wall with her hand.

"Um, I don't think you should do that, babe. Keep your tongue in your mouth. We'll all be home in a few minutes," Rose responded in a soothing voice as she rubbed Alice's back.

The walk home sobered me a little as I gazed at the stars and thought about Tanya's news. But the one thing that had me stumped was Edward's Southern Comfort induced word vomit. I was so caught up in my thoughts, I didn't even realize that he had been walking beside me.

"Hey, how long have you been here?" I asked, giving him a sideways glance.

"All night. Where you been?" He elbowed me lightly, giggling.

"So you get all serious in there with no explanation and now this, Mr. Giggles." I pointed at his face because he still hadn't stopped giggling. "Watch yourself there, you might snort."

"How much have had to drink?" He coughed, composing himself enough to speak a few words.

"Shut up, I was thinking. I didn't see you there. And you didn't answer my question."

"You were thinking and your lips were moving. I didn't hear a question." He shrugged.

"I wanna know why you got all Mr.-I'm-tired-of-games-I-stalk-you-in-my-head back there." I bugged my eyes at him and I may have punctuated that by mouthing the word "duh".

_Holy Shit, settle down. Note to Self: Vodka tonic is the devil. _

"Ah, forget it. So, are you drunk enough to do the rest of my laundry tomorrow?" He wagged his eyebrows suggestively and grinned.

"Are you drunk enough to let me lick your jaw before I punch you?" I countered. "What about a boob grope, huh?" I laughed, cupping my boobs in my hands and pushing them towards him.

"No. Put those away. I don't do drunk boob gropes. I'm not that easy," he said, laughing as he leaned away from my chest.

I put my hand to my chest, feigning shock before laughing out loud. I leaned closer to his shoulder as we walked, lowering my voice I cooed "Oh, but I bet you are that easy Mr. Cullen. So what do say about that jaw lick?"

"You really wanna lick my jaw?" he asked softly, pretending to consider my request.

"Yeah. Then I'm going to punch you for thinking I would do your laundry."

"And you want a boob grope as you call it?"

"Uh-huh, just before I punch you." I nodded.

"Why do you always have to include violence?"

"I don't know. You make me want to shake someone down or something. Odd." I tilted my head, considering the nonsense spewing from my mouth.

"I'll make you deal," he offered.

"What's that?" I stopped near the door to our building and crossed my arms. He stood directly in front of me, leaning so that our foreheads were touching. His lips looked so soft and were so close to mine. I couldn't help but stare at them, licking my own in the process. His breath hitched.

_God, Bella, no more vodka tonics._

_What? It was reflex action, damn!_

"Ask me when you're sober. I promise I'll make it worth it." He winked as he stepped back giving me the most genuine smile I had seen on him yet and opened the door to our building.

Again, I was stunned into silence. _What the hell?_

"Why do you do that? I mean, you're you.. and I'm me.. and we.. shit, never mind. Change of subject."

"You're smart. I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough. And then I'll let you punch me." He smiled slightly, bracing himself with his arms, he leaned against railing on the opposite wall of the elevator and continued to stare. It was unnerving. It was that look he gave me when he already knew the answer to something. Like he was trying to read my thoughts to find out what I knew.

We were in some sort of staring contest. Yet, I couldn't look away as his lips turned up on one side and he flashed that sexy lop-sided grin. He had that look in his eye, like he did a few minutes before when had his lips so close I wanted to kiss them.

_What the hell? I must have been roofied tonight. _

My hands were shaking a little so I took a deep breath, running my hands through my hair to try and regain some type of normalcy between us before stepping on the elevator.

"Are we still going to Forks on Monday?"

"Yes, I have motions in the morning, but I should be ready to leave as soon as I finish," he responded nonchalantly, as if he hadn't just given me some I-wanna-kiss-you-and-kiss-you-good look. I had the sudden urge to get out of this elevator and into my apartment, alone, so I could try and wrap my head around all this.

"Sounds good. We can take my car."

"No, we'll definitely take mine and I'll drive," he stated emphatically, pointing to his chest. The elevator doors opened to the second floor and he continued arguing with me as we neared our apartment doors.

"You're really gonna fight me on this? If you saw my car, you wouldn't want to. Just saying."

"It may be logical since Forks is _your_ town and all, but if _I'm_ going, _I'm _driving," he argued, before reaching in his pocket for his keys.

"Whatever, buzz-killing stalker dude. There'll be another time and place and I'll be ready. I've got photo evidence of Smurf-ward in my phone, remember?" I clucked my tongue, waving my phone in his face.

"Yeah, I'm counting on it." He chuckled. "Goodnight, Bella."

I was apparently a wee bit more buzzed than I thought considering I had requested a jaw licking, a boob grope, and insisted that I planned to punch him, all in the span of an hour. Then he gave me that stupid sexy look that just freaked me the fuck out. I knew he could see fear and disgust written all over my face. I was really going for the "I'm about to puke" kind of look, but it was seriously past my bed time. With my brain clouded by vodka tonic and a sinfully delicious drunk neighbor, I said a quick good night and got into my apartment as fast as I could.

I dumped my keys on the counter and headed towards my bedroom, shedding my clothes as I went. It had to be the alcohol. That had to be why all that serious stuff he said hadn't made sense. I was too drunk. I probably imagined it anyway. Yeah, I must have imagined it all. Pulling the covers over my head, I smiled, content that it was the alcohol screwing with my ability to comprehend all this. My brain wasn't so convinced that it was time for sleep.

My thoughts drifted to my talk with Tanya. Things could really change in a big way for me soon. That made me both nervous and "more smiley" as Edward put it. I wasn't very religious, but I took a moment to say a small prayer to a higher power, asking him or her to watch over this job opportunity, letting the cards fall where they may. I may have also been a little selfish when I plead with whomever to give me the job and make all my dreams come true. I could only hope the fact that I prayed about it, canceled out the selfish part. I would just have to wait and see.

Sleep still didn't come as easy as I had thought it would considering I probably drank enough to quench the thirst of a camel on a two-day hike across the Sahara. I tossed and turned for what seemed like an hour. I cursed Alice and Rose for putting those thoughts in my head about Edward and me, and for reminding me what a good relationship could be like. I considered crank calling both their asses, because now I was back to over analyzing his shit talk from earlier and was most definitely wide awake.

I closed my eyes again, trying to calm myself using some stupid relaxation technique Renee taught me as a kid. I took a few slow deep breaths and imagined that I was getting a massage, starting at my feet, going up my body. Inhale. Exhale. Relax.

Okay, here goes. My feet were being massaged in slow circles, then hands are working circles over my ankles. Breath in. Breath out. Working circles over my calves. Then _he_ moved his long fingers up to my thighs, pressing damp kisses as he gripped and slid his fingers across my skin, working his way towards my center, soft pouty red lips and blazing green eyes stare up at me from under dark lashes.

"Dammit, Edward and vodka tonics," I huffed, pounding the mattress with my fist.

I couldn't even complete a thought process without seeing him. My thoughts were jumping all over the place, my skin craved his touch. If he had just grabbed my boob, this wouldn't be happening. I thrashed around, trying to shake off whatever the hell it was that was making me think about him like this, but I couldn't turn it off. His words from earlier tumbled around in my head.

"_Ask me when you're sober. I promise I'll make it worth it." Damn those lips._

"_Every single day, in every thought, since the day we met." Bourbon, vanilla, warm breath._

"_I'm kind of tired of playing games. Aren't you?" Eyes searching my soul._

I thought about what Alice said about how we acted like kids on the playground. _How was it that I could be attracted to someone that I so clearly can't get along with for more than fifteen minutes? Is that what this is? What it really looked like? Did he think that too? _

That's when it hit me. I gasped and sat up in the bed. Edward's earlier statements hit on something I hadn't been ready to see before now. That's why I was so stunned in the lobby a few minutes ago. _He's tired of games._ He figured it out too, before I did, which meant that he knew I was attracted to him, too. I closed my eyes, smacking myself on the forehead. "I am so fucked," I said out loud to the empty room. I fell back onto my pillow, frustrated. He knew. That meant that next week would be even more of a challenge.

I couldn't believe I was even entertaining the idea of Edward and me together. We're like oil and water. I cringed at the thought of how messy things could get. I didn't want that for either of us; for the firm; for our friends. There were just too many variables in the equation for it even to work out right. I shivered a little at the thought.

I had no idea where to go from here. Staying focused was supposed to be my priority. I had a potential new job to think about. Maybe, after Tanya made the recommendation, I could take a short trip, relax a little and take some time to think about this.

I sighed as I snuggled further under the covers. Now that I finally saw what the others had seen over the last week, I had no clue how to handle it. Yet, I couldn't get his beautiful face out of my head. It was there every time I closed my eyes.

Next week would definitely be tough. Working closely with him. The trip to Forks. Edward and I had a lot to accomplish, both together and separately on our respective cases. Just a hint of a smile played on my lips as I finally felt myself drifting off to sleep. Something told me that we would make it, if we didn't kill one another first.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 6**

**EPOV**

I could lie and say that I was drunk, or feeling a little crazy, or even blame it on stress, but none of that is true. The words I said to Bella last night were the only truths I had spoken out loud to any woman in more years than I felt like thinking about. Everything inside me was screaming that it was too soon. Too soon to feel, too soon to try, too soon to let myself go. I knew it was only a matter of time and fate had a way of opening doors.

Lucky for me fate had intervened long before I ever met Bella. In fact, it hit me square in the gut one morning about six months ago when I woke in a cold sweat and realized that the warm body next to me wasn't just another girl I had brought home. Instead, she was my assistant Irina. And due to my utter denial of the fucked up life I was living, I had inadvertently played house with her for almost three months.

It had started innocently enough. Well, actually there was nothing innocent about it, but there never was when it came to sex with random women. I knew the game and played it well. I had been playing it since college. Too many times I had taken women for granted, and at that moment Irina was a casualty. My behavior, going through the motions each day, avoiding the truth, had nearly cost me my job. She would be the last, because I knew I had somehow lost my true self along the way.

That realization alone made me sick. I hauled my ass out of bed and immediately told Irina that what we had was never a real relationship. I owned up to making a drastic mistake in judgment, not having the courage to tell her the truth or to ask her to leave but simply having played along, wasting three months of her life and mine. All because I was a coward. A shell of the man I should have been.

Thankfully, she packed away all her things and was moved out by the afternoon. Her anger was expected. After she left, I met with the partners explaining everything and asked them to transfer her to another department, saving her job and mine.

After the incident with Irina, I knew I had a problem. Jasper's call about the job here in Seattle truly was my saving grace. I couldn't go back to the way I used to be. I had to focus on myself and I had to learn to like being alone again. I was tired of the games and the lies. It was way past time for Edward Cullen to grow up.

There was something in Jasper's voice when he talked about the firm dynamic, about his friends and law partners, and the feeling of being a family. Something told me that I would truly find the part of me I was missing, the part of me I had lost behind the lies and twisted denial, and it was here in Seattle.

To say the first time I met Bella Swan was unusual would be a serious understatement. Explosive would be a better way to describe it. Although our paths never crossed in the past, Jasper mentioned her in conversation multiple times over the years. He had obviously felt the need to leave off the part that she was a complete ball buster.

The other important factor he failed to mention was that she wasn't just your ordinary beautiful girl. She was naturally pretty, and when she was fired up about something passion made the golden flecks in her deep brown eyes sparkle. I saw it the first day we met outside the courtroom, when she stood so close to me and licked the foam from her lips. Which, by the way, was just about the sexiest fucking thing I had seen any woman do in a very long time.

So from that moment on I may have pushed a little with the comments just to get a rise out of her. So I could see that spark. But who could blame me? No woman has ever gone toe to toe with me, challenging me like that. So yeah, with Bella there was something there and it wasn't just the physical attraction. It was more. It was like the sparkle in her eyes held me, pulling me in as if there was something I was supposed to see there. I intended to keep looking until I found it, or until she punched me.

The funny thing was that as much as I saw the panic in her eyes when we parted ways last night, I also saw that fire in her eyes that I knew was meant for me. She knew exactly how I felt. For once I had been honest, and I knew she felt it too. I saw it the first day we met. When we stood toe to toe, eye to eye. It was then that I knew this change in my life was going to be a very good thing.

I stood, taking my coffee with me to look out my bedroom window. Staring at gray skies,I thought back on all of the things I noticed about Bella this week. The way she chews on her pen when she's editing documents. The way she speaks to her assistant, authoritative, but friendly no matter the issue. The way her laughter rings through the hall of the office in the afternoons when she and Alice and Rose make time to gossip over coffee. It always makes me smile.

I was brought out of my thoughts by the sound of Bella's heavy footsteps stomping across the hall. She was up and I had a bad feeling that she'd had just enough time to over-analyze everything I said last night. To make matters worse, I already knew she was not a morning person. The sound of her steps across the hall told me that she was headed my way, just like I thought. I hurried to the kitchen to pour her a cup of coffee before she burst through my door in three...two...one.

_**Bang, bang**_

"It's unlocked," I called out, bracing myself for the worst.

"You better be decent, because I'm coming in," she replied, as she burst through the door, slamming it behind her before stomping over to where I stood near the island in the kitchen. She looked pissed...and adorable.

Her hair was a bigger fucking mess than mine for once. I couldn't help but smile. I eyed her over the rim of my coffee cup as she crossed her arms, jutting out her hip as she tapped her foot. From her fluffy Grinch slippers to her cutoff, sweat shorts and black tank top, all the way up to her zebra print sleep mask that sat perched just above her forehead, Bella was definitely a hot mess. I had the sudden urge to pick her up, throw her over my shoulder, and carry her off to the bedroom. Just the thought of it made me shiver. I resisted however, because the look in her eye at that moment told me that probably wouldn't go over as well as it would in my fantasy. Instead, I let her ramble.

"Okay, um...I just need to say a few things and this is how this is gonna go down." I knew I was supposed to be seriously listening, but hell if this was exactly the reaction I expected, and damn if it wasn't funnier in person.

When she pointed her index finger at me, I wanted to bite it. I slurped my coffee instead. I knew she hated that and I could barely stifle a giggle when I saw her squint her eyes and roll her shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm gonna let that slide. I'm gonna talk and you're gonna listen. Got it?" I nodded and moved to the counter to grab the coffee I had already poured for her.

"Okay, so after thinking over what you said last night, I need to lay this out there. We're not high school kids and this shit isn't rocket science. I-"

"Coffee?" I interrupted, holding out the cup.

"Yeah, thanks. Um...where was I?" she frowned, staring at the cup.

"I believe you had just gotten to rocket science." I smiled, sipping my coffee as I leaned against the counter.

"You made me coffee?" She gave me a confused look.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, you always steal my coffee."

"I never said I didn't make coffee. I just like stealing coffee from you. Sue me." I shrugged and took another sip. She took a sip and I could see that her stance was slightly shaken.

"Well, okay, thank you. Anyway, as I was saying, we aren't kids anymore and I hate games. And last night I realized that even though I hate that stuff, that's exactly what we've been doing. So, this dance we have going, whatever it is here, I can't do it anymore." She waved her hand between the two of us and gulped her coffee.

"Really?" That was not the answer I was looking for.

"Yeah, I mean - God, okay this is harder to say than when I thought it." She blew out a breath and put her hand to her forehead, closing her eyes in the process. "Um...I _may _like you just a little, but don't flatter yourself just yet. I'm still not _swooning_ over your moves Edward Cullen and dammit, I deserve to swoon." She huffed, lowering her hand, and opening her eyes to give me an exasperated look.

"Swoon?" I titled my head, smirking as I set my cup on the counter next to me.

"Yes. I used the word swoon, okay? People still say that." She rolled her eyes, then stared out the window across the room.

"Hey, look at me." She turned her head, her eyes meeting mine as I closed the short distance between us. Again, for a split second I thought I saw fear in her eyes. What she didn't know was that little bit of fear I saw there was enough to prove to me that she was in. She wouldn't give up without trying first. It was start.

I paused in front of her, bringing my hand up I gently grasped her pinky finger where it rested on her hip and tugged on it lightly as I looked down into her eyes, smiling. I needed her to see my feelings were genuine.

"What?"

"You deserve enough swoon to last a lifetime and if you'll let me, I'll show you the swoon." I grinned when I saw her lips turn up into a small smile before she looked down at the floor. I let go of her finger and stepped back, grabbing my cup again.

"I'm not going to date you, Edward Cullen." She took another sip of her coffee, raising her chin defiantly.

"We'll see." I shrugged and gave her a smug smile over the rim of my cup.

"Don't I get a say in this?" she retorted.

"Oh, we're negotiating now? Okay. Bring it. What are the terms, Ms. Swan?" I chuckled, holding my hands out to the side, noticing her sexy scowl had returned.

"We take it slow. We're friends and we work together. No big public displays of affection and shit. I don't want the entire office staff talking about this. And, in return, I'll open up more. Quit being so hard on you or whatever. But you have to do the same. And from there...I just don't know. I always have a plan, an outline for things. For this...well, I don't. So there you have it."

"Hmm. Interesting. I'll agree, but with one exception." I filled my cup again and leaned against the counter near the coffee pot.

"And that would be?"

"The public displays of affection." I swirled the coffee in my cup, waiting for her response.

"What about it?" She narrowed her eyes and took another drink from her cup.

"That's going to be kinda hard. You see, I have a real problem with wanting to touch you. I'll go along with it as long as you can keep your hands off me in public. However, I'll warn you, if you slip up all bets on the no PDA rule are off. Think you can handle that, Ms. Swan?" I smirked as she returned my look with one of her own.

"I can handle anything you got, Cullen."

"Good. Then it's settled. I like you, you like me. You think I'm sexy, I know you're sexy. We go with it. I got it." I shrugged.

"Wow, you really stretched the powers of your photographic memory for that one, didn't you?" She snorted and moved closer to where I stood to fill her cup again.

"Nah, it's simple. I always get what I want. And this, Bella, is something I want." I slurped my coffee again. I couldn't help it. I wanted to see that fire in her eyes one more time. Cruel, I know. I just loved it too much.

"God, what is with you and that damn slurping? Shut that shit up." She rolled her eyes and stomped towards the door. She turned back, speaking over her shoulder as she held the door knob. "And Edward, you know I don't go down without a fight. Be ready. It's on, babe." She winked and opened the door. I laughed out loud. She was feisty, but I never expected anything less with Bella.

I shook my head, walking into the living room when the door popped open again. Bella stuck her head back in the door, holding the coffee cup in her hand.

"And I'm stealing your cup. It's mine now, bitch," she yelled, holding the cup up a little higher, just before slamming my door and then hers across the hall. I closed my eyes and tilted my head towards the ceiling. Bella Swan would be the death of me yet.

I slumped down on the couch, flipping on the news. I was smiling as I replayed our conversation, thinking of some pretty interesting ways to make make her swoon. I laughed again at her use of that word. For the first time in my life, I was confident in the truth of how I felt about someone. I knew that if I was about to suffer death by Bella Swan, then I was ready because it would be a sinfully sweet ride.

**A/N: **

**I forgot to do this on the last two chapters, so this is my attempt to play catch up as well.**  
><strong>Thank you so much to livieliv79 and megschmegg for always being there and listening to my rambling crazy-and getting it.<strong>  
><strong>Thank you so much to modernsafari1 for going over this and correcting all the bad, bad things. You are like my perfect other half. Thank you to ameliakbedelia for your thoughts. They are precious to me. <strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 7**

**BPOV**

As soon as I got to the office Monday morning, I began work on my resume to email to Tanya. Edward was in court for the morning, so I knew that would be my only opportunity to get it done before we left for Forks.

I finished the email to Tanya, took a deep breath and held it as I clicked the send button. It was done. I stood and walked slowly out of my office in search of Emmett. It was time to tell him about my decision which turned out to be easier than I thought. Thirty minutes later, I left Emmett's office happier than when I entered. He was ecstatic and couldn't wait to tell the others.

My cell phone rang just as I stepped back into my office. The butterflies kicked in as soon as I saw that it was Edward calling. I hadn't had that feeling since...well ever. It was an odd feeling to know that someone could make me feel like that at my age. Still, I didn't regret telling him I liked him or how I handled that situation yesterday. In fact, I think I was still a little stunned by the fact that he was actually attracted to me. Now, more than ever, I was thinking maybe I had read him wrong from the beginning.

Edward called to say that motions were delayed due to some other matters the Judge deemed more urgent and he would likely not be finished before one o'clock. It wasn't his fault and I was in such a great mood that I didn't hesitate when I told him that we could just leave later and spend the night in Forks if needed. I could tell that the sudden change in my mood registered with him and caught him off guard.

Maybe I was going a little overboard on the positive attitude thing, but the high I felt when considering the possibility of attaining one of my major career goals was the only explanation that I had to justify blurting out such a plan. Except I knew when the butterflies returned as I was packing my overnight bag, that wasn't the only reason I was spitting sunshine and rainbows today.

However, as I waited on the couch, I realized that when it came to Edward and me, not having a plan actually gave me hope, peace and a grin that wouldn't leave my face.

00 LB 00

**EPOV**

"I can't believe you won't let me drive your car? It's a fucking Corvette. It deserves to be driven," I said as I gripped the steering wheel, annoyance clear in my tone of voice.

"Well, I don't let just anyone drive my car. Besides, you wanted to take yours." She shrugged and fiddled with the air vent. "Make this thing work."

"So what, I'm some random stranger now?" I responded incredulously, reaching over and turning the air up.

"No, not really. I just don't know if I can trust you...to drive my car." She eyed me slyly then cleared her throat before looking out the window. I had a feeling we weren't really talking about her car, so I proceeded with caution. She was in a good mood and I wasn't about to ruin it.

"Then maybe you don't know the real me. I'm trustworthy...enough to drive your car."

"I don't know. We'll see." She smiled and turned on the radio as we neared the ferry dock. I slowed and drove aboard the ferry.

"You want to get out? It's not a long ride, but it's a nice day," I offered, unbuckling my seat belt. I love ferry boats; Jasper's parents always brought us to ride the ferry when I visited him in the summer. As a kid, I used to pretend that we lived on a boat. Yeah, I fucking love ferry boats.

"Sure, I need to call my dad first though, so..." She unbuckled her seat belt and grabbed her purse as we exited the car.

"I'll be over here." I pointed up ahead to the railing on my left. She waved me off as she put the phone to her ear.

The wind whipped around my head as I shrugged on my jacket. My hair was a constant fucked up mess. I wasn't worried so much about that, I was more worried about the fact that I didn't want to look like some drifter when I met Bella's dad and the Clearwaters. At least that was the excuse I was going with in case anyone asked. The truth was I was still processing this whole relationship-with-Bella possibility and for a few minutes, it just felt nice to hide behind my hood and sunglasses.

Leaning on the rail, I twisted the string on my jacket completely lost in thought when I felt her hand on my back.

"Hey, I got you a coffee." I turned slightly as she handed me the coffee and leaned on the rail facing me.

"Thanks." I took the cup and smiled when I saw she had already put cream in it.

"I even got it with cream so you wouldn't act like a baby." She poked my arm.

"I noticed. Did you talk to your dad?" I asked, as I took another drink and turned my head to look at her fully. The wind whipped through her long hair, pulling it in all directions around her face. In that very moment...Bella was more beautiful than I had seen her before. She clutched her coffee and adjusted her sunglasses.

"Um, yeah...he's still at the station, like I thought." She looked down and shook her head.

"What?" I laughed. My God she was glowing in this light. I turned up my cup, taking another drink, and looked back to face the water. It was safer.

"He's just - my dad is nuts. I mean, like he thinks he's funny. And he's always trying to marry me off. Never mind, it's nothing. You'll see." She pursed her lips and looked out over the water as we stood in silence for a few minutes.

"What's on your mind?" I nudged her elbow with mine, tilting my head in her direction as we leaned on the rail and stared into the distance.

"I really _love_ ferry boats," she said in a wistful tone.

No one had ever accused me of being a romantic kind of guy. I hadn't written love letters or brought flowers to anyone in years, at least not since high school. However, I knew a special moment when I saw one. And obviously being around Bella just brought out the sappy romantic in me. So when I heard her say that she loved ferry boats, I knew it was a special moment, even if it was only special to me. _Sick, romantic shit. I know._

I gave her a sideways glance as I drank the last of my coffee. She smirked, but didn't look my way. I responded with a smirk of my own and continued to watch the water.

"Ferry boats, huh?" I looked down and twirled the last few drops in my cup.

"Yep," she responded, popping the "p".

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." We stood silent for a few minutes before I tossed my cup in the trash can nearby when the ferry neared the dock. I waited as she did the same and we walked back to the car.

00 LB 00

**BPOV**

_**Two hours and fifteen minutes later.**_

"Edward, can you pull over at the next gas station?" I bounced my leg. Two cups of coffee, two hours driving, and I was about to float his leather seats.

"Why?"

"I have to use the restroom. Unless you want to clean your leather, pull the hell over," I whined.

"Fine," he growled. "But dammit, you better hold it in. It costs a fortune to clean these seats." He sighed and took the next exit, pulling into a 7-Eleven. I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. I didn't even want to know how he knew the cost of cleaning leather seats.

"Unlock it so I can go pee," I begged, fussing with my seat belt as we rolled into the parking spot.

"It is unlocked. What are you doing to my seat belt?"

I continued to pull at the seat belt. I was getting frustrated and about to jerk hard on it when he casually reached over and pushed the button that freed me...then that fucker laughed at me.

"What, this is funny?" I shot him a look, raising both eyebrows.

"Well, yeah, a little," he said, then laughed again!

"Hmpf. Well, it sure as shit wouldn't have been funny if your defective seat belt had caused me to piss a river on your leather seat would it?" I retorted, before grabbing my purse and slamming the car door, laughing to myself as I walked away. I hadn't even gotten to the door before I heard his angry footsteps behind me.

"Bella!" He grabbed my arm to stop me just as I stepped inside the door.

"Let me go. I have to pee." I wriggled my arm a little. He loosened his grip as he narrowed his eyes at me.

"I swear to all that is holy if you come out of here with a Big Gulp, you'll use it as a urinal. I'm not stopping again," he snapped. _What a freaking nut. I love pushing his buttons._

"Um...duly noted, counselor. Thanks for the idea. Big Gulps _are_ cheaper." I saluted him and sauntered away to find the restroom.

00 LB 00

_**Fifty Minutes later**_

"Edward."

"Hmmm."

"Are you sleeping over there? Wake up!" Using both hands, I snapped my fingers in his face.

"What? Stop." He swatted away my hand. "I'm driving, I'm not asleep you maniac."

"You've barely said anything since we stopped. What's your deal? Are we there yet?" I rambled quickly, bouncing both knees and pulling out my ear buds so I could hear him better.

"Let me guess, you've reached your caffeine limit?" he deadpanned. I bounced in my seat a little, just to irritate him. That Big Gulp loaded with Mountain Dew had hit me hard and fast. I really was rocking an epic caffeine high.

"Um, I guess. So, are we there yet?" I suddenly noticed my voice sounded little nasally and somewhat jittery.

"Uh, hellooo, this is your town. Shouldn't you know that?" He waved a hand in front of the windshield and gave me a wide-eyed look.

"Just keeping you on your toes Edddiiiie," I sang and punched him in shoulder.

"Don't call me that," he ground out, glaring at me from the corner of his eyes while gripping the steering wheel. I cackled and put my ear buds back in my ears. Before the music started I heard him mutter to himself.

"Twenty more minutes in this damn car. I swear," he huffed. I laughed, then closed my eyes and bobbed my head as R. Kelly crooned to Ignition. I bounced in the seat, riding out my Big Gulp buzz.

00 LB 00

We pulled into the parking spot nearest the steps of the station. I searched my purse for my lip gloss, then pulled down the mirror to make sure I didn't have mascara running down my face.

"No way. You've had like three hours to do make-up. Let's go," he complained. He pulled off his hoodie and tossed it in the back seat before jerking the keys from the ignition.

"Shut up. I want to look nice for my dad." I wiped at my face and put the lid back on my lip gloss.

He groaned and got out of the car. I smiled smugly and got out of the car just in time to see Charlie step through the door and onto the porch.

"Bells, c'mere girl." Charlie had gained weight since I last visited a month ago.

"Hey, yourself. What's this?" I hugged him and pulled away poking my finger at his stomach.

"Well, your mom has been taking some cooking classes at the community college. She needed someone to help her with her homework." He shrugged and rubbed his stomach.

"Dad, this is Edward. Edward, this is Charlie." He smiled, shaking Edward's hand.

"Edward." Charlie was giving him that look and I knew what was about happen. I really should have warned Edward, but part of me wanted to see him squirm a little. "So how long have you and Bella here been dating and why is this the first time I'm meeting you?" I hung my head.

Charlie had been trying to marry me off since I turned twenty-one. Normal fathers dreaded the day that they had to walk their daughters down the aisle to give them away. My dad was clearly not normal at all. He looked forward to it. We had this conversation every time I visited. I know he meant well. He and mom wanted to see me happy and settled. They grew up in a different time. Still, it was completely embarrassing that he continued to do it. Yet, I had to admit, when I saw the horrified look on Edward's face I couldn't help but egg him on a bit.

"Well, actually, Edward just started at the firm last week. So, yeah, his marriage proposal came as a bit of a shock." I shrugged and nonchalantly wrapped my arms around Edward's waist. I smiled coyly as I looked up into his eyes, but I was laughing hysterically on the inside. Edward stiffened. He didn't know what had hit him. I gave him a squeeze and he finally relaxed, smiling as he gripped and flexed his hand at my waist before looking back to Charlie. Edward was quick on his feet. I was sure he would catch on in a minute.

"But you did it right, didn't you, son? You got down on one knee and she said yes, right?" he prodded. I watched Edward's facial expression go from horror to realization and that's when I knew he got it. I hoped he would play along in my effort to pull one over on Charlie because this would be one for the record books between me and my dad.

"I certainly did sir. In fact...should we tell him, babe?" He looked down at me and winked. I nodded, though I was not truly prepared for what manner of hell I was gonna have to undo when I had to explain this joke to Charlie later.

"Well, Bella and I are gonna have a baby!" he exclaimed. I gulped and started to pull away, but Edward held on tighter, letting me know I couldn't escape the charade that I had started. I watched as Charlie's mouth formed a little 'o' and his mustache twitched.

"Holy Shit. Woo hoo. Finally!" When Charlie did a fist pump and started to shake his hips right there on the front porch of the station, I knew I had to put the brakes on this one fast.

"Okay, Okay, that's enough old man. We're totally kidding you. We aren't engaged and we _definitely_ aren't having a baby. Edward here was just going along with me so I could pull one over on you." I jerked my thumb in Edward's direction as I pulled away from his arms to grab Charlie by the wrist. "Now stop, before you have a heart attack." I slapped Charlie playfully on the stomach. He stopped dead still, mid hip-shake. He was stunned. _Best joke ever!_

"What? God, Bella, I thought we were finally gonna get some grandkids out of you." He huffed and rolled his eyes. "Don't scare me like that child. I'm old and I can't take jokes like that. Seriously." He put his hand to his chest, feigning innocence, as he opened the door for a snickering Edward to pass through first.

"Yeah, yeah, you always pull out the age card when I get you good." I smiled and shook my head as I followed Charlie inside.

As I expected, when Charlie introduced Edward to all the ladies in the office they were more than slightly enamored with him to say the least. In fact, I thought I even saw Mrs. Cope, who was seventy-five years old, put a spring in her caboose as she walked away after shaking Edward's hand. Edward and Charlie were huddled up across the room at his desk talking baseball and laughing like school girls while I sat at one of the extra desks and tried to keep from gagging as I watched their bromance develop.

I looked over the case file and concentrated on the questions I had planned for the Clearwaters when I realized I had turned my phone off. It had been a while since I checked my messages. I turned it on and saw that I had three texts from Rose and one from Tanya. I squealed when I saw that Tanya had texted.

I opened the texts from Rose first and decided I would save Tanya's until later in the evening.

**We are all so excited for you. Text when you can.- Ro**

**Wait. Edward is meeting Chuck today right?-R**

**Text me!- R**

I rolled my eyes at her reference to Charlie as "Chuck." I hadn't heard her call him that since high school. I decided I had better respond before she started calling.

**Thank you. I'm excited too. The job's not mine yet. Yes, they have met.-B**

**You'll get it. No worries, k. What did C say?-R**

**Asked how long we had been together. We totally had him thinking we were engaged and pregnant. Was epic! LOL-B**

**HAHAHAHA I bet. Watch out, he'll be planning your wedding before you leave.-R**

**I know!-B**

**What did E say?-R**

**Nothing. Just played along. He and Charlie are in a bromance now!-B**

**OMG that is hilarious! Tell Chuck I said hello.-R**

**I will. Gonna be at his house tonight. E at Forks Inn.-B**

**Warn E to sleep with his clothes on. ICK! Remember, what you said Saturday?-R**

**What?-B**

**About goals? You are about to reach it. Now IS the time. ;)-R**

**Get to know him. You are strong, beautiful and deserve to have it all!-R**

**Thanks. Will think on it. I don't have the job yet. :) -B**

**That's all I ask. Alice says - he belongs to you.-R**

**What!-B**

**She says, you don't NEED a man like some women, but he is your other half. He needs you to make him the man he should be. (yes, she had one of her damn dreams or some shit!) -R**

**Gah, stop it! Slap her hard for me! -B**

**You know I hate when she gets like this, but it kinda sounds philosophical. Who knows! Have a good trip. -R**

**See you when I get back. -B**

I noticed, in my peripheral, that Edward was coming my way, so I quickly closed out the texts and opened my Twitter feed.

"So are you and Charlie finished with your date over there so we can finally get to work?" I asked, while scrolling through my timeline.

"Yeah, he's great. Makes me miss my dad. I'm ready when you are." He sighed and grabbed the files from the desk as we waved to Charlie and headed out the door to the car.

"Hey, are you on Twitter?" He pointed to my phone.

"Um. Yeah, are you?" I turned my phone to the side, making it harder for him to read.

"So what's your pen name?" he asked, smirking as he put the key in the door and hesitated a beat too long before opening it.

"I don't know if I want to tell you." I frowned.

Twitter is my playground. Rose, Alice and I secretly tweeted as much perv as we wanted on a daily basis. I wasn't so sure I was ready to share that with him. Maybe I could keep it tame? After all, the harder I tried to hide it; the harder he would work to get it without me knowing it. So, I made a spur of the moment decision.

"Give me yours and I'll give you mine," I said, then looked back to my phone. I sent Rose a quick text to confirm that she and Alice would be okay with Edward knowing about our secret twitter universe.

"Um...I've been meaning to open an account for a while. Maybe you can help me tonight." He grinned, getting in and cranking the car.

"So, are you doing the talking today or am I?" I asked, pulling my seat belt on. I took a notepad and pen from my bag while I waited for Rose's response.

"I've got this if you want to just take notes and ask any follow-up questions." He shrugged and checked for traffic before turning onto the street.

"I don't usually play secretary, but I'll take advantage of your chatty mood today."

"Whatever you say, just try and keep up," he said with a smirk, putting on his turn signal to enter the Clearwater's driveway.

"I'm quite sure I can handle it, hotshot," I smugly replied. I unbuckled my seat belt and leaned over the seat into the back for my recorder. When I turned around, Edward had opened my door and stood waiting. I couldn't distinguish the look on his face. It seemed wistful, adoring maybe. Weird. It was a new one for him anyway. So I gave him a tight smile and mouthed "thank you" as Alice's words and her so-called vision that Edward was my other half, played through my mind.

We sat with the Clearwaters and mostly listened, answering their questions about the process for Seth's case as best we could explain. I was taken aback by Edward's sense of compassion for Sue and her husband, Billy. I had not witnessed that demeanor in him before and I enjoyed seeing that tender side of him.

My greatest revelation of the afternoon and evening was realizing that when he and I worked like this our strengths played off each other in a flawless show of give and take. He effortlessly delivered the questions I had planned on asking as if he had read my mind. When he searched for the right word to answer a question they asked, I provided it. We were a team, focused and sure of ourselves. We were two wavelengths running parallel. The power of that knowledge was exhilarating for me, and when we shared a look for a second or two, I thought I saw the same realization in his eyes.

**A/N: Thank you so much to my girls modernsafari1 and ameliakbedelia for reading this and always encouraging me so much. **

**Since I mentioned twitter in this chapter, Iwant to find out if anyone has an interest in tweeting with any of these characters? Just asking now, because if there is none, I won't bother getting their account names for you. Just thought it might be fun once in a while, something to cause a laugh on a day you might need it. **

**Let me know your thoughts and as always, thank you for reading. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. **

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 8- Forks Part II**

By the time we made it back to the house, it was time for dinner. Charlie coaxed me into making spaghetti. It didn't take much. If I was being honest, I missed taking care of him. Making dinner while mom worked late, like I used to do in high school. As I finished putting away the dinner dishes, Charlie walked into the kitchen heading to the fridge for more beer.

"Wait, how many beers have you guys drank this evening?" I caught the fridge door and stilled it just as he pulled the handle.

"Hey, I've only had two, but you're boy in there...he's had three." He held up four fingers on his right hand first, for himself. Then three fingers on his left hand to show the number of beers Edward had.

"I think it's past your bedtime young man." I tried out my gruff Charlie voice on him and raised a brow.

"Watch it, missy! Otherwise, I'll have to tell that boy in there that you are so happy to have finally found a husband, what with that extra big toe and all." He twirled the edge of his mustache, then pointed to my feet as he spoke. "Your choice." He shrugged and I let go of the fridge handle, admitting defeat.

"Seriously, extra big toe?" I snorted. He grabbed two beers, winked and walked back into the living room. I shook my head and threw the dish towel on the counter.

_Charlie 1, Bella 1_

** LB **

Later that night, I tossed and turned in my old bed. Sweating, I pushed the covers back only to pull them up again when the breeze flowed through my window causing the curtains to rise. I couldn't shut my mind off. My thoughts were all over the place and yet, they kept bouncing back to Alice's words from Rose's earlier text message. Normal people would likely laugh off such words as Alice just being a hopeless romantic.

However, I had learned a long time ago that when Alice has a vision or dream or whatever she wanted to call it, I should pay attention. In fact, it was one such vision and the terror I saw in her face because of that vision that kept me alive or at least uninjured when I started to leave a party one night in Forks.

I laughed when she first told me that I shouldn't get a ride home from the party with my friend Joel. But as I was leaving, she came barreling out the front door of the house, tears streaming down her face with Rose right on her heels. She was begging me to stay or just call my dad. I guess it was the shock of seeing her like that, but I stayed, declining the ride home.

Not long after, my dad called to tell me that he was coming by to pick us up. There had been a bad accident just two miles from the party. Joel had fallen asleep and his car left the road and hit a tree. He made it out alive, thankfully, because the passenger side of his car took all the impact from the tree. Had I not listened to Alice, I may not have been alive to still be here tossing and turning.

I looked at the clock on my night stand. It was only 9:40. Charlie had been snoring for an hour. I counted exactly eight-two snorts that actually vibrated my door. I flopped to my side again. I couldn't help but wonder what Edward was doing. The look on his face was priceless as he walked out the door after hearing my warning to be sure and sleep in his clothes.

I thought Charlie was going to throw a tantrum when I told him Edward was staying at the Inn. He knew that place was awful and put up quite a fight to have Edward, "our guest", sleep on our couch. However, I just wasn't comfortable with that arrangement. I had only just acknowledged there was something going on between Edward and I that I was willing to explore. I also _knew _ that it had to be illegal in some state, somewhere, for a man to look that good wearing a dark suit, suspenders, and a stainless steel wrist watch.

I didn't do it to be mean. I just needed a little time to process the sparks that were flying as well as the damn suit and fuck-hot suspenders issue. Unfortunately, now I was feeling all hot and bothered, not from the heat, and feeling bad that I sent him away.

The breeze flowed through my window, as I closed my eyes for one last try at sleep when I heard a noise outside my window.

"Bella," he called. _What? Was that Edward?_ I sat up in bed, listening. Nothing. I laid my head back on the pillow and closed my eyes again.

"Bella." My eyes flew open. It was him.

I got up and stumbled over my shoes on my way to the open window. I looked down and saw Edward standing there, with the hood of his dark jacket pulled over his head, wearing jeans and running shoes.

"What are you doing?" I crossed my arms as the breeze blew my hair.

"I can't sleep."

"How long have you been out here creeper?" I asked, looking out the window hoping none of the neighbors were witnessing this.

"Uh, not long. Can I come up? Just talk to me until I get sleepy. I'll leave soon, just..." he plead, raising his arms.

"Fine, Romeo. Climb up. And watch that second branch, it tends to dip really low when you step on it." I pointed and started to move away from the window.

"Wait, Bella. You want me to climb up there? Using the tree?" He looked almost insulted.

"Um, yeah, unless you plan to use some super powers I'm not aware of. Now get on with it, I've got to get some sleep," I grumbled.

"Just go down and open the door."

"Why? You don't want to mess up your jeans?" I scoffed.

"No, that's not it. Just open the door," he whined.

"No."

"Bella, open the damn door." He pointed at the door and growled.

"No. Climb up or go away." I walked away and got back into my bed, listening as I heard him grumbling outside my window. I chuckled quietly and strained to listen harder.

"No self-respecting thirty-year old man should be climbing a damn tree to get into a woman's bedroom," he huffed as he pulled himself up, swinging his legs through my window.

"Wow, I'm impressed." I pulled myself up to sit with my back against headboard.

"As you should be. You could have opened the damn door." Pulling his hood back, he unzipped the jacket and toed off his shoes, leaving them on the floor at the end of the bed. _Damn, I could not take my eyes off him in that white v-neck and jeans_. I shook my head a little, trying to clear my thoughts.

"I don't know why you are so huffy. This could be considered '_swoon worthy_' to some. Just saying." I shrugged and pulled the covers up a little higher. He tilted his head and gave me that lop-sided grin I loved as he gave my words some thought.

"Why can't you sleep?" I crossed my arms over the cover and quirked a brow in his direction.

"So this your room? Nice." He bobbed his head, looking around.

"You didn't answer my question."

"You're right. Scoot over." He lifted the covers with one hand and moved the pillow with the other.

"Wait, did those clothes touch the bedspread at the Inn?" I pointed at his pants and cringed.

"Why?"

"I don't want whatever germs you got there...in here." I motioned to the bed.

"I can always take them off then." He lifted his t-shirt, pulling at his belt. _My God, the skin above his jeans, six pack abs, shoot me now._ I had to stop thinking about him like this. We're just..well I didn't know what we were yet, so I seriously had to reign this shit in.

"No, thank you. Just...eww." I shivered again at the thought of what might be lingering on his pants. I had seen the television special on hotel bedspreads and I was almost certain the Inn would qualify for an on-location feature.

"Look, don't worry. I never went to the Inn. I've been driving around since I left. So move it or lose it." I scooted over as he lowered himself into the full-size bed. I noticed his feet hung off the end of bed as he shifted until he had one arm behind his head on the pillow, the other laid peacefully across his stomach..._on top of the white t-shirt...on top of the beautiful abs_..._STOP IT_!

"Now that you're comfortable, tell me why you're here." I chuckled because I knew he looked quite comfortable in my bed and it was strangely easy having him here. Even with the craziness that was going on in my head, I had to try and keep this normal. I had to get a handle on this. I had never really looked at him this way, this closely, until now. Things had shifted in my brain, or maybe my heart, but I wasn't sure I was ready for him to know _just _how attracted I was to him.

"Like I said, I couldn't sleep. Hey, were you a cheerleader in high school?" He pointed to my pom-poms hanging on the mirror above my dresser across the room. I had forgotten they were there.

"Promise you won't laugh and I'll tell you the story behind those." I looked down to see him grin.

"Well?" I kicked his thigh to get his attention and scooted further down in the bed so we were laying side by side.

"Fine, I won't laugh. Tell me."

"Well, those are actually pom-poms from college. You are looking at the recipient of a full cheer scholarship to the University of Washington." His lips turned up on the side. He was grinning, and I waited for his laughter. I wasn't ashamed in the least. That scholarship allowed me to get my degree and enter law school early. It was more the fact that I felt I had come so far from those days that it seemed funny looking back on it now.

"Wow, I always wanted to sleep with a cheerleader." He giggled and tickled my foot with his socked toe. I jerked my foot away, laughing.

"Hey, you said you wouldn't laugh." I crossed my arms and pushed my lip out, pretending to be hurt.

"Aww, that is rich! Make that face again." I did and he laughed out loud as he raised himself up on one elbow, smiling as his eyes met mine. "I bet that lip broke a few hearts for sure."

"Says the man in my bed. You should probably be careful then." I smirked and shoved him back down on the bed. Our laughter faded to silence as the sounds of the night floated on the breeze through my window. I knew he had something on his mind. He had been a little quiet all day. Selfishly, I thought it might have been about the change in our relationship or friendship, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. I had read him wrong before. I could see that now.

"What is it?" I looked over at him, his eyes were closed but he was still smiling.

"Once upon a time I was one of those guys that would have fallen prey to the pouty Bella lip." He sniffed and rubbed his face with his hands.

"No way. I don't believe it for a minute." I shook my head, turning on my side to face him. I smiled, trying to keep things light. Deep down walls were crumbling, I was breaking apart, and I knew it as well as I knew my last name. He didn't make a move to look at me before he spoke.

"It's true. In fact, I probably still am. I've just been playing games for so long, I don't know how to completely be the real me anymore. That's why I said what I said to you the other night. Work, the expectations of family and friends, I let it all get in the way for too long. I guess I feel like I lost a part of myself a long time ago and I just don't know how to get it back." He exhaled loudly, raising his eyebrows "Or maybe I do and that's what's so weird." He huffed, clearly surprised at his own admission, as he turned and looked toward the window.

My mouth hung open as the words fell from his lips. I blinked a couple of times and closed my mouth. I couldn't believe what I had heard. If he was telling the truth, and if I was being honest with myself, I knew I had been feeling exactly the same. His revelation explained a lot. For me. For us.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone there. I don't know why I did. I..." He stammered as he stared at the ceiling. "I don't know. I just felt like I could say it and you would understand."

"It's fine. Really. I do understand. Don't worry though, I don't use the pouty lip very often. It's kind of a secret weapon."

"Good to know. Just in case though, you know I was serious when I said those things, right? About thinking about you. I mean, I'm all in Bella. I want to try, see if this turns into an us. I just need to know you are too. For real." I turned my head in the direction of his. His eyes searched mine. I did the same and found gentleness. It was what I needed to give me the words to speak as I leaned my head closer to his, our foreheads almost touching as we lay side by side.

"I know. I understand. And yes, I'm with you. I'm all in, so don't let me down. Okay?" I whispered. My resolve was almost gone by the time I uttered those last few words. The honesty was thick as it hung in the air and hovered around us. I searched my brain for something funny to say to lighten the mood.

"You know, it must have been the pom-poms. Guys always liked looking at my pom-poms. _In_ _fact_, I'm sure it was, you were just fine till you saw my pom-poms." I stated matter-of-factly and shrugged before turning onto my back again. I was hoping my little pom-pom/boob metaphor had landed and he would get a good laugh. We both needed it at the moment.

I had just closed my eyes when I heard him laugh out loud. It was a relief to hear and I bet if I had looked it would have been one of those gorgeous smiles that invaded his whole face. Those were the ones I loved and the very ones I knew I couldn't get enough of.

"Yeah, you're probably right. And may I say, you _certainly_ have nice pom-poms. Wonder what would happen if I touched them?" He acted like he was reaching over and I kicked him in the calf. He laughed as he jerked his hand back, putting his arm back in it's position behind his head.

"Besides, I bet if you _had_ slept with a cheerleader in high school, you probably would have just talked her to death after seeing her damn pom poms."

"Ah, cute. Real cute, Swan." He coughed, bringing his hand down and putting it under the covers.

"What can I say, I'm irresistible." He chuckled, then I felt him shift a little closer, his fingers lightly grasping mine under the covers. I felt the butterflies playing inside me again. I swallowed hard and whispered, "Maybe now you can sleep."

"Maybe." Silence again.

"Hey, we were good together today with the Clearwaters. I enjoyed it." He spoke lowly, leaning his head toward mine.

"Mmm. Yeah, we really were...it was good." I felt myself drifting off.

"Bella." I felt his warmth when he shifted, moving closer, as he whispered in my ear.

"Yeah." I sighed softly, half-asleep.

"I set up that twitter account tonight." My eyes popped open wide.

"And.." I breathed out the words, hoping he hadn't looked through all my tweets. Honestly, I knew better.

"_You_, my sweet girl, are a closet freak. I like it." He paused, his warmth breath on my neck. "I like it a lot." He whispered again, his lips grazing my ear, as he gave my hand a little squeeze under the covers. _Dammit. _Just the sound of his soft voice in my ear caused goosebumps to cover my body. My head told me to move my hand away. My heart told me to let go and enjoy it. _Warm breath on my ear, his clean, manly Edward scent in my bed, and well...my heart won._

I left my hand in his.

"Goodnight, Edward." I sang in a sweet sarcastic voice, putting an end to the discussion. He chuckled, shaking the bed a little as he gave my hand another squeeze under the covers.

His soft sleepy laugh triggered more butterflies. I decided to roll with it for a change. I _had_ promised myself that's what I would do. No plan right? Just go with it, see what happens. So I took a chance and laced my fingers with his as he mumbled goodnight. I heard him sigh, content, maybe even happy. It made my heart sing. I wore a smile as I drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, I awoke to the harsh sunlight streaming through my windows and feeling wet. Like sweating my ass off wet. With my eyes still closed, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and immediately realized where I was and why I was so freaking hot. Charlie never had the air on this early in the summer, so I knew that if I was sweating it meant I had slept much later than I had planned. My room never started heating from the sun until noon. _NOON_!

I opened my eyes and started to roll out of bed. My arm was trapped. For a second I thought I was having a nightmare. I took a deep breath and cracked open one eye. Edward was lying next to me. We had been spooning. He was still in the little spoon position, shirtless. I shifted again, noting that my arm was most definitely trapped under the crook of his neck.

Suddenly the events of the night before tumbled through my groggy brain. I sat up, jerking my arm with me, hoping to wake him in the process. _Shit. Charlie is going to have a field day with this._

"Edward...Edward. Hey, wake up." He mumbled and rolled to his back. Thanks to quick reflexes, I put my foot on the floor just in time to keep myself from rolling off the bed.

"What? What is it?" He rubbed his eyes, squinting as he looked up at me.

"Oh, nothing..." I spoke softly, pretending that it wasn't a problem that he had spent the night in my bed. My lunatic father would certainly use this to get back at me for our prank from the day before. But as I spoke again, I unleashed the frustration.

"...just that you are a freaking _bed hog! A_nd because you didn't leave last night Charlie is probably on the phone with my mom making wedding plans as we speak! We have to get up, like now," I growled.

"Shit, give me minute, okay?" His voice was laced with sleep as he rolled to the other side of the bed, slowly sitting up. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. While he took his sweet time, I scrambled around picking up his clothes. I heard Charlie's footsteps on the stairs. He was whistling too. _Shit, he knew Edward was here. He was seriously gonna use this to get me back for yesterday's prank._

"It's Charlie. Get this on." I threw his shirt at him. He stood and tugged it on while I rushed to his side of the bed, trying to straighten the covers.

"I'm going to the bathroom." He said as he shuffled towards the door. Edward opened it just in time to see Charlie standing there with a shit-eating grin on the his face as he raised his coffee cup to his lips.

"Morning, Edward. Sleep well?" Charlie asked, then raised his brows suggestively at me over Edward's shoulder.

"Yes, sir. Actually, I did. I forgot where I was. Excuse me." Edward turned and looked at me from behind Charlie's back and mouthed 'what the fuck?' I scowled as Charlie leaned, a little too smugly, against the door frame. I avoided eye contact with Charlie and busied myself with straightening the bed. I wasn't ready for his crap this morning but I knew it was coming.

"So, Bella, did you know that Edward's mom's name is Esme?" he asked slowly, using his detective Charlie voice, as he twisted the edge of his mustache again. His eyes were full of mischief. _Here we go. I have feeling this is going to bad._

"No. And I don't even want to know how you found that out. I told you we were just kidding with you yesterday. Seriously, dad, I'm twenty-six years old, you need to cut this shit out." I gave him a serious look and threw the throw pillows on my bed.

"Actually, I googled it." The horrified look on my face did nothing to phase him. "Any-whoooo, I wanted your opinion on something before I told your mom." He slurped his coffee.

"Wait, you googled- What do you need my opinion on?" I brought my hand to my forehead and breathed an exasperated sigh. _And where the hell was Edward hiding during all this? He better not be asleep on the toilet in there. _

"What do you think about Renesmee?" He grinned widely.

"What do you mean? What's Renesmee? I was just about to blow a gasket when Edward emerged from the bathroom and stood behind Charlie in the hall.

"What did I miss?" He ran his hands through his hair and yawned.

"Renesmee. For a baby name. You know Renee, Esme." He slapped Edward across the chest.

"Unf." Edward winced and rubbed his chest. Again, he mouthed 'what the fuck', looking at me as he shook his head.

"Combining your mothers' names." Charlie sighed. "God, for two highly educated people, you two suck at common sense." He made a swirling motion with his finger near his temple, which I believed to be the universal symbol for crazy, as he looked back and forth between Edward and me.

"Ah, Renesmee. Hmm. Sounds perfect, Charlie. Go with it." He clapped a hand on Charlie's shoulder and winked at me as Charlie stood beaming from the doorway.

I groaned, then whirling around I picked up two pillows off my bed and hurled them through the air just as Charlie grabbed the door handle and slammed it shut.

"See, Edward, you gotta watch out for that shit. She and her mom are just alike. They throw things. Pillows, not a problem. A hot iron? Now that's a problem." I heard Charlie's voice through the door as they descended the stairs.

I covered my face with my hands and flopped back onto my bed, letting my legs hang off the side. I had to get out of here. I had to get back to the city, back to work, back to my apartment, where life was mine and things were a little less crazy.

I must have dozed off, because the next thing I saw was Edward standing over me as I laid on the bed in the same position. He stood between my legs, where they dangled off the bed, he reached over, touching my face as he said my name. I leaned up on my elbows and looked into his eyes. I was still a little groggy, but that's when it hit me.

From that perspective, the angle in which I was looking at him, the way I was laying on the bed with my legs hanging off the side and him standing over me, caused me to have an epiphany in the Clearwater case. I felt the rush of adrenaline and I suddenly just knew the answer. In fact, the key to winning Seth Clearwater's case had been right in front of us all along.

I sprang from the bed with such force that I almost knocked Edward on his ass. Men are visual and if I wanted him to see how this theory would work, I had to show him.

"Whoa, where are you going?" He asked, righting himself after almost being trampled.

"I've got an idea. Just get the Clearwater file from my bag and wait here." I called out over my shoulder as I rushed through the bedroom door and down the stairs to the den.

When I got there I grabbed my dad's hunting rifle from the gun cabinet. Just as I had suspected, it was the exact same model and caliber as the one Seth Clearwater was charged with using as a weapon of force against his wife. I wore a smug grin as I made sure it wasn't loaded, before I hurried back upstairs to present my theory to Edward.

"Bella, what the hell?" He shouted, raising his arms as if in surrender.

"Oh, shut it. I'm not gonna shoot your stupid ass. I have to show you something." I chuckled as I got closer to the bed with the gun. I could see that he visibly relaxed once he heard that I had no intention of shooting him.

Men are such idiots sometimes. If I had planned on killing him, surely with his 'criminal lawyer expertise' he would have understood that shooting him would be just too easy. Instead, I would have preferred to simply feed him a little Draino then chop him in about twenty-five different pieces. Possibly used a blender, or maybe just stuffed him in a duffel bag and buried him. _I have obviously given this way too much thought. _

"So, what's this about? It's not loaded, is it?" he asked hesitantly as he opened the file and waited for my response.

"No, it's not loaded. Besides, you know I wouldn't kill you like this right? I mean, get real." I shook my head and laughed as I took the file from his hand.

"I don't know if I should be relieved that it's not loaded or completely disturbed that you know how you would kill me." He chuckled nervously as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Eh, having a plan is half the battle right?" I shrugged. "Focus. According to the charge sheet, this is the same rifle as the one described there. Here, hold it." I grabbed the file and shoved the rifle in his hands.

"Okay, now what?"

"I'm gonna get on the bed and lay down like she describes here in her statement and you are gonna hold the gun like she reports Seth did." I hopped up on the bed, laying in the same position as I was a few minutes earlier.

"Now, get between my legs, knees flush with the side of the bed." I motioned for him to move toward me and pointed to where I wanted him to stand. I watched as his lips turned up on the side forming the most sinfully devious grin as he held the gun, moving closer to stand between my legs as they hung off the side of the bed.

"Um, is this position good?" His voice was low and seductive as he asked. I rolled my eyes and started reading the victim's statement again in an effort to slow my heart rate and mask the affect he was having on me at the moment.

"Yeah. Now, according to this, you should be holding the gun up with the butt of the rifle at chest level and pointed at me. Do that, and let's see how her statement fits." I placed the statement on the bed, reclined a little further onto my elbows, and watched as he lifted the rifle. I was face to face with the barrel of the gun. I smiled, because I knew my theory was sound.

"Like this?" He pursed his lips as he always does when he is concentrating. I knew he was working out the logistics in his mind. I had no doubt he would figure out the impossibility of this scenario.

"Yep." My smile grew wider and my heart pounded even louder in my chest as my eyes met his again.

"What?"

"Have you figured it out yet?"

"Save us some time. Just tell me what you're thinking so I can actually see the picture I'm supposed to see here," he sighed.

"Well, Edward, it's all in a question actually." I smiled and took the end of the barrel in my hand, holding it to my chest as the victim had described in her statement. I noticed his breath hitch as I did this.

"Fine. I'll play along. What's the question Bella?" he asked, clearly exasperated with my game.

"Have you ever fucked a girl while holding a rifle?" I asked, my voice sounded breathless and not much like my own at that moment. It wasn't necessarily an offer, but I did enjoy his reaction when I asked him. I could immediately see the change in the way he looked at me. His eyes got darker, a little more intense. We studied each other for a few seconds in silence while he worked it out in his head. I had made my point in this presentation.

He grinned and lowered the gun, setting it gently on the bed beside of me and moved closer. He bent at the waist, leaning over, as he placed his hands on either side of my hips on the bed. Our noses were almost touching. He licked his lips, his eyes never leaving mine, as he spoke softly.

"No. I've never fucked a girl while holding a rifle. Seth didn't either. And I don't use force if I want to fuck someone. There are just too many other...interesting options that are legal." He winked.

_My heart officially stopped beating for 2.5 seconds. This man was going to be the death of me for sure._

"S-So what do you think?" I stammered and shifted back on the bed just to have a couple more inches between us so that I could breathe.

"Two things. First, we're going to win this case, Sherlock." He smiled so wide it touched his eyes and it took me a minute to realize that I was doing the same. It made me happy to know that he would back me on my theory that it was impossible to hold a rifle of this size and caliber to another person's body while having intercourse. Again, our minds were in sync. We were a team. I felt validated, strong, empowered because of him.

"What's the second thing?" I laughed and he leaned forward, closer than before. This time I didn't back away.

"I want to know. Are you going to kiss me or not?" He grinned. His eyes glistened as they darted from my eyes to my lips.

I wanted this. I was done hesitating, waiting for the right moment, wondering if I should or shouldn't move forward with Edward. The air between us was electrified with the emotional connection we had, both personally and professionally. Although we were nowhere near ready to have sex; there was no reason I couldn't kiss the shit out of those pouty lips of his. And kiss them often.

So I did.

**A/N: Sooooo...you guys really need to tell me what you are thinking about this. Again, thank you to modernsafari1 for putting up with my crap mistakes and totally understanding me when I say that the voices kept me awake. Also, I am forever thankful for ameliakbedelia for reading and catching things that my brain skipped over due to the fact that most days I am just an idiot. **

**Thank you to those of you who read this, alert it, lurk it, leave it sitting alone and open on your screen too long, or whatever. I love you just the same.**

**For those of you that are interested, E and B gave me their twitter accounts. This should be interesting, *ahem* maybe just silly. We'll see. :)**

**Follow them and me if you choose: **

**(at symbol)jennlen522**

**(at symbol)CullenViolation**

**(at symbol)AGirlInASuit (a girl in a suit- because that doesn't look right in this font)**

**Until next time. Thank you for reading.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

_**Read the A/N at the end, Thanks**_

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 9**

The ride back to Seattle from Forks was torture...on my body. I felt like a kid who had been placed in front of a candy store and told that they could only stand there and look through the window all day. The candy was free, the store was open, but I couldn't go in. Edward was my candy. So, yeah, riding for three hours in a car with a man that I desperately wanted to kiss again and again was really a lot harder than I thought it would be now that I had tasted him.

I kept sneaking sideways glances at him while he drove. He smiled, looking way way too pretty in his dark sunglasses. He drove one-handed, with his right arm leaning on the armrest between our seats. I couldn't help myself. I had to touch him again, so I slipped my arm around behind his and rested my hand in the crook of his arm at his elbow, pulling myself closer to him, leaning on the armrest as he did.

I watched his lazy smile as it became brighter before he looked over at me, noticing my change in position. Without saying a word, he shifted his hand a little so that it hung on my side of the armrest, letting the pads of his fingers trace small circles on my upper thigh near the hem of my shorts.

With a simple touch I could taste him on my lips again, the way our tongues had met, moved together, restless yet soft. I couldn't escape the truth that there was so much more in that one kiss than I had ever felt before. Soft, sweet, gentle, then rough when we fell back on the bed together, laughing, as we smiled into each other's lips as they touched one another, over and over and everywhere. It was all him. I knew then that it always would be.

I was exhausted by the time we got back to the city. I had gotten several texts from Alice and Rose wanting to know the details of our trip. They were probably bubbling over with excitement; I was simply happy and honestly, feeling a little warm and fuzzy. I hoped that feeling didn't go away, at least for a while.

Edward and I were quiet as we walked through the lobby and into the waiting elevator to go up to our floor. I wanted to say something, but "Hey, you're a great kisser. Can we do that again?" didn't really sound like something that fit the moment. However, as the doors closed, I didn't have to wait long to find out what was on his mind.

"You've been quiet all afternoon. Are you okay?" He pulled his hands from his pockets and rested them on the railing along the wall as he leaned back. I could see that he was eyeing me, waiting for a response.

"I'm more than okay. Actually, I'm pretty fucking perfect right now." I smiled brightly and turned around to face him fully, stepping over his foot to stand between his legs.

He sighed, relief washed across his face, his shoulders slumped as the tension was released. Then he looked up wearing that gorgeous smile that I had claimed as mine. I bit the inside of my cheek, waiting for his response. He looked away shyly, then back to my face.

"Thank God. I was beginning to think I was the only one who felt how perfect this feels." Standing to his full height, we locked eyes as he brought his hands to my face, putting one on each side as I slid my arms around his waist and slipped my hands into his back pockets.

His lips met mine, warm, so tender, once, twice, three times as I felt him smiling against my lips. "It shouldn't feel this perfect so fast, yet I can't stop smiling." My breath hitched.

The elevator halted and the opening doors broke us apart momentarily. He took my pinky finger in his hand as we we made our way down the hall to my apartment door. Then as I turned to face him again, he draped his arms over my shoulders, framing my face with his biceps and leaning his forehead to mine.

"What do we do now, counselor?" I smirked and he chuckled. His warm breath fanned my lips making them tingle. My arms and hands had a mind of their own and before I knew it they found their way around his ribs to his back before I pulled hips flush with mine.

"I'm sure there's probably some set of rules we should follow here. But, honestly, I feel like breaking them all when I'm with you." He licked his lips before he continued, "spend some time with me tonight, Bella."

I swallowed the lump in my throat that was keeping me from breathing properly. All I could do was nod before I let my tongue trace his lips. When they parted, I slipped my tongue inside, sucking his, tasting him, wanting to devour every piece of him I could in that moment. My body was on fire as we pulled away, breathing each other in. Smiling again.

"I better go see the girls. They want details." My words were breathless against his lips.

"What are you gonna tell them?" He grinned, backing away, running his hands slowly down my arms before dropping them at his side.

"That my fuck hot man stops time with his kisses." I grinned, dipped both hands in the waist band of his jeans at his belt buckle and tugged as I rose up to my toes to peck him on the lips. "And that I can't wait to spend more time with him." Another kiss.

"I like the sound of that." He laughed, putting his arm around me and pulling me close again. "So, I'll see you a little later then?" he asked, placing a kiss on my temple.

"Yep, see you then." He winked as he put his key in the door and opened it slowly. I was smiling to myself as I opened my door. It was amazing the difference a day had made.

Although it was still kind of early, I changed into my cotton pajama set. Rose always bitched about this particular set of pajamas, saying they looked like June Cleaver pajamas with the button up top and matching pants. I loved them. I've had them since my freshman year in college and the cotton was so well worn and soft. Besides, I don't think June Cleaver's were polka dotted and I know she didn't have grinch slippers like mine. I pulled my ponytail tighter as I exited the elevator onto the first floor towards Rose and Emmett's apartment.

Just as I was about to knock, the door flew open. A very pouty Emmett and I exchanged looks.

"Come in. God, why do you three have to have your chats in my bed? Why can't you get all dark and twisty somewhere else? There's a game on and I'm hungry."

"Shut up, Emmett. Order pizza and go upstairs." I heard Rose yell from the kitchen. He rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to Edward's. His TV is bigger than Jasper's anyway," he grumbled as he stepped around me and into the hall as Alice and Jasper's apartment door opened.

"Do you have beer, Emmett?" Jasper asked as he let Alice pass through the open door before closing it behind him.

"No, damn it. See what you ladies do?" he huffed. "Come on, Jasper. We'll get Edward to buy that shit and I'll buy the fucking pizza so his ass won't be whining about how much we're getting," he said, stomping off towards the lobby. Jasper grinned, shook his head and waved before slowly following Emmett's path toward the front doors of the building.

Alice and I went in and found Rose in the kitchen pouring three glasses of wine.

"What the hell is Emmett's problem." Alice asked, taking a glass from the counter.

"You know how he gets when he's hungry. I have cramps and don't feel like cooking. Sex is out of the question, too. So, take away his two favorite things in one day and he's acting like a baby." She shrugged.

"So, tell us about this trip." Alice eyed me while Rose opened the freezer and put a pint of ice cream under her arm while she grabbed her wine glass and three spoons.

"Well, it was a really great trip." I grinned and took a sip of my wine. I had never been one to kiss and tell, but I decided I could share a few details. Hopefully it would be enough to get them off my back and give us some space.

We retreated to Emmett and Rose's king-size bed, the three of us sitting under the covers with our backs against the headboard drinking wine and passing the ice cream bucket back and forth. I told them about the trip down, how Edward shared my love of ferry boats, how I had never felt so at one with someone when we were working, and how funny it was that he had climbed that old tree in the yard just to talk. That led us to reminisce about the crazy things we did in high school and all the times that Emmett had to replace the lattice work on the side of Rose's house because it broke every time he tried to climb it. He busted his ass no less than three times and never made it up the wall to her window.

I told them how he tasted like coffee and caramel, warmth and safety, and most of all hope. I felt like a fucking teenager just sharing details of our kiss, so I cut it short. I would keep my tingly-teenage-girl feelings to myself. We were adults and Alice and Rose often got overzealous anytime I entered a new relationship. This was mine and Edward's, and I didn't care what anyone really had to say about how slow or fast things moved or didn't move. We were in control and the looks on their faces were priceless when I told them just that.

At first, I thought they would be angry. Alice and Rose simply exchanged odd looks, then both of them burst out laughing.

"Bella, don't worry about us. We just want you happy and I think I can speak for both of us in saying that you are happier now than we have ever seen you." Rose chuckled and downed the rest of her glass of wine.

"Yeah, B, don't worry. We promise not to interrupt. Those days are over. Do this your way." Alice smiled and played with my fingers.

"Thank you. I was worried you would give me hell and I didn't want to have to hide this from you," I said as I looked between the two of them.

"The fact that you even thought about hiding it from us just to continue seeing him speaks volumes about how you feel about him." Rose winked and got up from the bed.

"She's right, Bella. Now, go get your man. He's probably wondering what we've done with you." Alice stood from the bed, grabbing my hand to help me from my spot in the middle.

I laughed. Good wine, great friends, a slight buzz and I had my crossword to do tonight. Most of all, I had Edward to share things with and I was suddenly very ready to see him again.

"Rose, I'll call Jasper and send Emmett home. Go get him B." She smiled as we called out our goodbye's to Rose and left. I stopped to hug Alice in the hallway just as the doors to the elevator opened. Emmett and Jasper stepped off and I could see that Emmett was in a much better mood. His cheeks were a little rosy as he walked down the hall to where we were standing between the two apartment doors.

"I'm sorry I was so rude earlier." Emmett said with his head hung. "You know how I can be when I am hungry. I apologize. Did you guys have fun?" he asked as he looked up at us from under his lashes.

"Yes, we did. It's okay, Emmett," I replied, patting his shoulder. He smiled and nodded before retreating inside his apartment, calling out for Rose as he closed the door.

I may have sprinted to the elevator, then into my apartment looking for my crossword puzzle. I always did the crossword on Monday nights. It calmed me and helped me sort through my day so I could rest better. I hadn't been able to do it Monday, since Edward and I were in Forks, so Tuesday was my Monday this week and I was going share this with him.

Back in my apartment, I toed off my grinch slippers and grabbed my reading glasses, crossword puzzle and pencil from the bedside table before walking through the laundry room and toward Edward's door. I knocked lightly.

"Come in." I opened the door slowly.

"Are you decent?"

"I'm never decent, but I've got clothes on if that's what you're asking." He chuckled as I entered slowly to find him sitting propped up against a couple pillows in bed, shirtless, and holding a magazine with one hand. His other arm was rested behind his head. _Deadly sexy._

"You wear glasses, too?" I asked as he shifted the magazine to his other hand so that he could pull the covers back slightly allowing me to crawl up on his king-size bed.

"Yeah, for reading. I didn't know you did. Yours are cute. Almost makes you look smart," he teased.

"Oh yeah? Well you look like a nerd." I playfully smacked his arm as I scooted closer, bringing my knees up close to my chest and resting my back straight against the headboard. In this position, my shoulder was just slightly higher than his with the way he was sitting.

"So, the nerd gets the girl in his bed, huh?" He smirked, putting his index finger to the center of his frames and pushing up his glasses as he spoke.

"Yeah, for now. Monday is usually my crossword day and we were in Forks so..." I looked down at the puzzle and doodled my name.

"So, this is something you do every week?"

"Yep. Is this okay that I'm here like this? I mean, working a crossword puzzle while you read really isn't all that exciting or special. But, this is me I guess." I tapped my pencil on the paper. I hadn't given it much thought before I came over. I guess something told me that sharing quiet time would be okay. I hoped I wasn't wrong as I watched him place the magazine on his lap and remove his glasses before he turned to look at me.

"I love you here like this. In fact, it's more than okay." Searching my eyes, he spoke softly before shifting again, putting his glasses back on, he picked up the magazine and started reading. "Besides, I've already done that puzzle. So you have the advantage of my superhuman memory skills tonight, babe." He grinned, still looking at the magazine. I rolled my eyes and scooted a little closer.

We sat there in silence for a long while. The television played low in the background and I noticed that he would look up every now and then when he heard something interesting. My feet were freezing. I know it's summer, but good God it was ice cold in his apartment. I had to get some warmth or I was gonna have to go back to my bed. That was a last resort.

Edward was engrossed in the article he was reading. He hadn't moved a muscle in the last fifteen minutes, it seemed. So I slowly scooted my feet just a little, sliding them until they were near his hips. Then I dipped the mattress a little further with my feet and slid my toes under his behind. I had to move closer to him to accomplish this, but as my knees and legs leaned slightly against his biceps and chest, I cast a sly glance at him to gauge his reaction to my stone cold feet. I knew the minute he felt it. He looked up, staring straight ahead for a second before looking over at me.

"Do you have your toes under my ass?"

I wiggled my toes a little just to aggravate him. "Maybe. Maybe not." Chewing on my pencil, I kept my eyes on my paper.

"They're fucking freezing."

"Then turn down the air. I'm cold. It's your hot ass on my toes or frostbite." I shrugged

"Hmph. I guess I'll let it slide since I like the idea of you having all your toes." He laughed, causing the bed to shake. "And because you said I have a hot ass."

"I thought you'd see things my way." I poked his shoulder with my eraser. He shook his head and went back to reading. Again the room grew silent with the exception of the sounds coming from the television.

After ten minutes of thinking and reading the question for seven across over and over again, I had no choice but to ask for his help. It was the last clue and it had me stumped. I felt like I knew the answer, but the word just wouldn't form in mind.

"Hey, I need your help." I nudged his shoulder with my pencil again.

"Hmm."

"Seven across says it is 'The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way'. I know I know this one, I just can't think of the word." I watched as he stared at the ceiling for a minute before his face broke with that gorgeous, happy smile that I love so much.

"You should know this one for sure." His voice was gravelly from not speaking, making it more delicious than usual. He brought his right arm up and placed it across my lap, curling his forearm around my knees gently. Using the tips of his fingers, he tenderly began stroking them back and forth against my outer thigh, effectively pulling me closer into him with his touch.

"What is it then. I can't think." I hesitated for second. Then with a movement that was much more natural than it should be, I reached up and swiped a small piece of hair back from his forehead before letting my arm fall behind his head to rest across his shoulders. His shoulder was basically nestled in mine.

"It's serendipity, Bella. Pure and simple," he whispered, pulling his hand from my outer thigh to cup the back of my head, gently pulling me into his lips. I let him. Warm lips met mine, barely touching, his tongue tracing and dancing with mine with such emotion, reaching into my heart. He placed two more quick kisses to my chin and nose before returning his hand to my thigh, as he smiled up at me.

"Serendipity." I nodded. "Yes. I don't why I couldn't think of that earlier," I whispered, breathless, hoping he understood.

"Hey, are you thirsty or hungry? I've got oreos and milk." Wide-eyed, he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"No way," I laughed.

"Yes. Who doesn't like oreos, right?" He patted my leg and pushed the covers back to sit on the edge of the bed. I stared, shamelessly as he pulled on his jeans and shuffled out of the bedroom.

"You want milk too, or do you want to share?" he called out from the down the hall.

"I'll share." I grinned and laid my puzzle and pencil on the bed beside me.

He quickly returned with his arms full. He held a pack of double stuff springtime oreos with blue cream, an extra large glass of milk and a bag of doritos. I couldn't help but laugh as he approached the bed, setting the milk on the nightstand.

"What? I'm hungry," he said with a laugh as he passed me the cookies and chips before slipping out of his jeans and lifting the covers to crawl back into our little nest. He even lifted his ass and waited for me to put my toes back in their place before he got comfortable.

"I didn't realize your junk food addiction was this developed." I snickered a little as I opened the springtime oreos.

"First, I'm only mildly addicted. Second, you can't eat oreos without moving directly to the cheesy goodness that is doritos. You gotta kill the chocolate taste. I thought everyone knew that." He said, shrugging as he opened the bag of doritos.

"Oh God, these are so good." I covered my lips with my hand as I mumbled with a mouth full of oreo.

"Wow, I think I may have found your weakness." He smirked.

"Actually, I have two."

"Oh yeah?" He leaned a little closer, staring at me as he placed an oreo in his mouth and held it between his teeth, with half of the cookie jutting out between his lips.

"Yeah." I leaned in closer to his lips. "Edward Cullen and oreos." I grinned before raising myself up enough to put my mouth on the other half of the cookie he still had perched between his lips. I bit the cookie and pecked his lips, making a smacking sound before moving away. We both laughed and he offered me some milk.

"So, how's that working out for you?" He raised a brow, crunching another oreo, as he settled back on his pillows and draped his arm over my knees again.

"I'd say that the combination is...intoxicating." I shrugged and plopped another piece of oreo into my mouth.

"Do you want to stay after the picnic? I'll put on a crappy movie guaranteed to put you right to sleep." He smiled lightly as he gripped and flexed his hand on my thigh, then moved it up to my knee and back down. The palm of his hand that affectionately caressed my thigh sent new shivers through my body, which both warmed me and made me never want to leave that bed, that moment.

"Sure, but I get to be the big spoon. You're a bed hog and I can't have you laying all over me or I can't sleep." I teased.

"Okay, okay. I don't mind being the little spoon, just try to keep your hands off the merchandise. If you plan to violate me, wake me up first. I definitely don't want to miss it," he snickered. I grabbed a dorito and tossed it at his head. He shifted to the side, quickly catching it in his mouth as he gave me a goofy grin. I rolled my eyes and pretended to be annoyed. I wasn't. I was happy.

Just being there with him felt more right than most things had felt in the last five years of my life. It was glaringly obvious now that the connection we had was so much more than I thought it would be. The simple touch of his skin to mine, the closeness I felt to him while doing something as mundane as a crossword puzzle, and the oreo-dorito kisses he placed on my cheeks and neck as we laughed some more were the things about Edward that I was sure would draw me closer and closer to him every day.

The next couple of days of work passed without incident. In the mornings, we shared coffee and the newspaper before walking to work. On Thursday, Edward was MIA for our morning coffee time so I headed into work as usual, wearing a frown. Of course, his absence had me questioning the meaning of all our conversations and quiet time since we returned on Tuesday. I felt like such an idiot when I entered my office. Then, on my desk I saw a very large cup of coffee with what looked to be a note tucked underneath.

I slowly walked to my desk, dropping my bag on the couch along the way, and picked up the cup which had been placed in the center of my desk. I set the cup back down and took the note. As I read, I traced my finger over the neat script that covered the red post-it.

_**Bella,**_

_**I missed the sunshine and coffee this morning.**_

_**Hope this makes your day brighter. See you this afternoon.**_

_**E**_

I glanced out the window noting that it was, by far, the darkest of overcast days we had seen in more than a week. I smiled like a fool when I realized that _I _was the sunshine he was referring to. I spent the rest of my day busying myself with returning phone calls and correspondence. And I did it all with a goofy smile plastered on my face.

Fridays were casual days at the office and for me that meant I took off my shoes. I know it sounds a little too comfortable but the carpet felt so good under my toes and I rationalized that it also helped me think better to be barefoot...while munching on an apple...while reading over a brief. Yes, I was actually working and since I hadn't heard a peep from Edward's office I knew he must have been busy as well. I really needed some feedback on whether my argument was well founded. It was time to interrupt him.

With my apple in one hand and my document in the other, I wandered across the hall while I took another bite and continued to read.

"Hey, have you got to time to read something for me?"

"Sure." He didn't look up. He ran his fingers through his hair and went back to scribbling notes on the yellow legal pad next to the file he was reading. I sighed and took a bite of my apple. I felt the juice dribble down my lip and giggled. His head suddenly shot up. He stared at my lips as I licked the juice away.

_Whoa, that got his attention._

He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "I'm gonna have to ask you not to do that in my office," he said, pointing at my apple.

"What? Did I drip juice somewhere?" I looked down at the front of my shirt before looking back to him, widening my eyes, giving him my most innocent gaze.

"Um...no, it's just. Nevermind." He waved me off, reaching for the document in my hand. I handed it over with a smug smile tugging at my lips.

"So, I can't do _this_ in your office?" I made to bite my apple in a dramatically slow way, licking the the spot I planned to bite before I did. My eyes were trained on his. He shifted again.

His eyes practically glowed as he stood up from his desk and slowly walked around it to where I stood.

"You really shouldn't test me, woman," he playfully warned, as he stood in front of me with both hands on his hips. I let my eyes wander down his chest to his waist, his belt buckle. I could see his shiny watch peeking out from under the cuff of his dress shirt as I continued to avoid looking into those eyes, the ones that owned me at the moment. I wanted him closer.

"Why's that?" I licked my lips, turning the granny smith apple in my hand as I looked for the next juicy spot to bite.

"Because." He took a step closer. I took a step back.

"You just." Another step closer. Another step back.

"Might get what you wish for." He pounced, grabbing my hips, digging both hands in my sides as I wiggled and moved under his merciless tickling. I howled and cackled.

"Shhh. Come here, girl. You're gonna get us fired with your crazy." He pulled me flush with his chest and wrapped his arms around me, linking his hands low on my back. I chuckled again and buried my head in his chest to stifle the giggles.

"I just came in here to get your help on that brief. Will you read it?" I fingered the buttons on his shirt as I looked up into his eyes.

"You know I will, if you'll do something for me." He opened his mouth and took a bite of my apple which I had been holding in my hand near his chin. And just like when I had bitten it earlier, the juice slid down his lip. I knew what would happen next and I was completely mesmerized as his tongue slipped between his lips and he slowly licked away the juice. I flicked my eyes back to his momentarily. I knew I was caught, but turnabout is fair play, _right_?

"Um..." I swallowed hard.

"So, will you do something for me?"

"What do you need?" He smirked. Leaning down he breathed against my cheek, my ear.

"Have dinner with me tomorrow night." His hot breath fanned across my earlobe sending a shiver up my spine. Almost instinctively, his arms tightened around my back.

"Like a date?"

"No, an execution," he deadpanned and rolled his eyes. "Yes, a date."

I tilted my head and tapped my chin pretending that his question required any amount of thought. It didn't, but I really liked watching Edward squirm.

"Okay, but don't go all out. I like simple. Keep it simple." I placed my hand over his heart and smiled as I buried my head under his chin. I don't know what I was thinking, I just knew that Edward Cullen had asked me on a date and for the first time in twelve years, I blushed.

"By the way, you totally caved on the no PDA rule." I felt the laughter rumble in his chest.

"It wasn't me buddy. That was all you." I leaned back and pushed on his chest.

"Ah, Bella. It's all in the strategy, babe," he whispered, lowering his head as he planted scorching open-mouthed kisses along my neck.

I couldn't decide if it was his clean Edward scent or the heated kisses, but I was certainly looking forward to finding out what he had in store for our date. I hoped that he would keep it simple. I didn't like going to fancy impersonal restaurants and such. I just wanted to enjoy him and hoped he understood. Saturday couldn't get here soon enough.

**A/N: Please review and let me know what you thin**k. **Everyone who reviews gets a pic of E doing his ironing. It's quite..interesting.** (no spoilers, for those who have seen Ironward already).

**In case you are wondering..we are getting closer to you know.. For real. I promise. There is a plan. Thank you, to my usual suspects, modernsafari1 who is vacationing without me this week. Boo! She actually loves me so much that she flashed her bewbs to her hubs so she could finish reading before they left. I luff her so much. **

**Also, as always, the lovely ameliakbedelia who provides me with the best reading links without with a blink and always gives good feedback on my crazy rambling. She has also promised to provide a flask, full of whatever, for our road trip to NYC to see Rob and modernsafari1. I will be bringing the baby wipes, night vision goggles, and black beanies (this may not end well.)**

_**Fics that own me:**_

Close Your Eyes by CaraNo

Practice to Deceive by Livie79

Dusty by YellowBella

A Getty Romance by rinabina

High Fidelity by Ireen_H

My Mate by PrincessRachel

Plight The My Troth by GingerandGreen


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 10**

**Songs that went through my ears when writing this:**

**Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake **

**Wicked Games by Chris Isaac**

**Collide by Howie Day**

**Good Life by OneRepublic**

**Saturday**

There are probably so many politically correct or polite ways I could say how I felt about my impending night out with Edward, but that just wouldn't be me. The simple fact was I needed some touch. I had shaved and primped and painted toes. It was all just time spent trying to take my mind off the fact that if I had to wait another day to feel that fine ass motherfucker's skin on mine, I was likely to explode.

Tanya had called late yesterday to ask me to brunch saying she said she had news to share with me. My first instinct that this news pertained to a certain job I had been hoping for was confirmed when she practically bounced into the coffee shop with excitement. She explained that the City Council had confirmed my appointment as lead attorney for the City of Seattle. Elated didn't even describe how I felt at that moment.

Over brunch she finished relaying the details of the job, the fact that cases would start being transferred to my office as early as the following week, and that a banquet would be held in my honor sometime in August. I sat there listening, not quite believing this was really happening, but noticed how Tanya she was positively glowing. When she finally took a breath I asked her the question I already knew the answer to. Tanya was pregnant; she was due sometime around the first week of February.

We hugged, talked about babies, and made promises to get together soon before we shared a hug again on the sidewalk and went our separate ways. I sent a text to Alice and Rose about the job and was beaming by the time I entered the building because I couldn't wait to get upstairs and share my good news with Edward.

As soon as the elevator opened on the second floor, I walked as fast as my legs would take me to his door and knocked.

"It's open." I heard him call from somewhere inside as I turned the knob and walked in. He was standing in the kitchen barefoot in jeans and t-shirt. He looked up, smiling, from his spot where he leaned on the island reading the paper.

"Hey, you, what's up?"

"Hey yourself." I walked over and hip-checked him as I looked over his shoulder. "Catching up on the gossip?" I asked as I motioned towards the paper. He grinned, bowed his head a little and gave me a funny look over the top of his glasses.

"What, no kiss for me today?" He stood upright, extending his arms, waiting for a hug. I laughed and pulled his glasses off his face, putting them on mine, before I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in kissing him slow and deep. He braced himself with one arm on the island and let the other trail down my back and cup my ass as he pulled me closer and up, making sure I could feel every inch of him through his jeans. _I did and it felt glorious. _

I finally pulled away, breathless, almost forgetting the reason I came to see him in the first place. He had the affect on me a lot lately.

"I have news." I smiled and adjusted his wayward glasses on my face.

"Oh yeah? Well hit me with it woman...we have kissing to do!" He chuckled and I proceeded to tell him about Tanya and how I had talked to her the night we all went out to Barley's and about the job offer that was a dream come true for me. I explained how I had forwarded my resume a couple weeks ago and had been waiting to hear from her about the outcome.

"So, we had brunch today and.." I bit my lip, gauging his reaction. I don't know why I was nervous about telling him about this. It seemed ridiculous, but deep inside I really hoped that he was proud of me, wanted him to be proud.

"And.." he walked over to the fridge, pulled out a beer, opened it and crossed his arms as he leaned against the counter, smiling.

"You are looking at the new City Attorney for the City of Seattle." I did a curtsy and may have even twirled a little. He laughed and clapped his hands.

"No way! This is great." He grabbed my wrist and pulled me to stand in front of him, then raised his hands to cup my face, looking me in the eyes as he spoke. "Although, if you had told me earlier, I would have told you there was never any doubt you would get it. You're brilliant, Bella, talented and beautiful and perfect. You're also sexy as hell, especially wearing my glasses." He kissed my nose.

"Thank you. It means so much to hear you say those things, especially that I'm..what was that last thing again? I don't think I heard you too well." I teased, putting my hand by my ear as if I needed to hear him better. He leaned his forehead to mine, brushing his lips back and forth across my lips. Opening his hands, he feathered kisses across my cheeks before bringing his lips back to mine, brushing them as he spoke.

"You're sexy as hell and I can't wait to show you what the rest of my body thinks about that," he said as he placed his lips to mine again and I smiled into his.

"Mmmm...great minds think alike," I said. He groaned and pulled away a little. It was a groan due entirely to sexual frustration. Unfortunately, I knew it well. He reached over and brought his beer to his lips and downed the rest in one long pull.

"Are you okay?" I laughed, as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and gave me a weak smile.

"Sure. Um...sorry, sometimes you're just too much." He winced and shook his head. "Nevermind. Back to your news. I couldn't be happier for you. You won't have to leave the firm will you?"

"No. Tanya said all the cases would be transferred over and I could operate from McCarty, which is good. I wouldn't have applied if I had to leave. I'm not ready for that."

"Right." He bobbed his head. "So, we're still on for tonight?" He raised his brows, attempting to look casual by resting one hand on his his hip and extending the other to lean on the island. I wanted to laugh, but I didn't. It was endearing that he seemed kind of nervous about tonight, when normally he exhibited more confidence than anyone I knew.

"Without a doubt." I took two steps and wrapped my arms around his waist. "You sure you're okay?" I felt him relax a little as he draped his arms around me, kissing to top of my head.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've got to help Jasper and Emmett put this sunbed thing on the roof so you guys can sunbathe or whatever it is you do up there. You, my dear, should be ready by seven thirty-six. And remember you said keep it simple, so dress casual." He smiled then placed another kiss on my forehead.

"Seven thirty-six, huh? Why so exact?"

He shook his head. "You'll see. I just hope you won't be disappointed." He pulled away slowly and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

"Hey." I tugged on his t-shirt, "It'll be perfect. It's me and you, remember? As long as we're there, together, that's all that matters."

He searched my eyes and smiled.

"It's just been a while since I've really wanted to do things the right way for someone. For you...you're special. It's only been a month, but you've changed my outlook on life, on me. I can't lose you now. Okay?" He caressed my cheek with his thumb. I took his hand and kissed his palm before bringing it back to my face. We were quiet for a few seconds. Then I noticed that glimmer of mischief in his eyes.

"Damn, my woman is the City Attorney for Seattle. I'm gonna have to step up my game, work out a little." He laughed out loud before leaning back to flex the muscles in his biceps. "Fuckers better step off if they know what's good, huh?"

I laughed at the sight of him, clearly enjoying himself too much. He started bouncing back and forth on the balls of his feet like a boxer, swiping his fists playfully in front of my face. I pulled his glasses off, shoved them on his face a little lopsided and shook my head as I walked away grinning.

"I'm going now, nerd!" I called out over my shoulder as I neared the door.

"Be ready, girl. Seven thirty-six!" I heard him call from the kitchen. I chuckled as opened the door to my apartment. _Seven thirty-six, indeed. _

**7:34 p.m.**

I paced up and down the hall in front of my door. I had already knocked on his door and he didn't answer. I was wearing the red lace panties that I remembered he liked underneath a thin, sleeveless little black dress. I even moved past my obsessive need to coordinate this dress with some hot shoes and wore heeled flip flops because it was summer and he said to keep it casual.

I continued to pace, realizing that my sexual frustration had risen to an unholy level over the course of the afternoon. Emmett bought a sunbed for the rooftop deck for Rose. This was the very one that the guys were constructing earlier in the day. Rose then informed me that she planned on christening said sunbed with a naked Emmett the following day.

Even Alice, who usually wasn't so forthcoming about her and Jasper's bedroom events, had chosen today to enlighten me on just how talented he was with...well let's just say it was too much information and I wasn't in the mood to listen.

I chewed on my thumbnail, probably screwing up my manicure, as I made my fifth pass down the hall when the elevator doors opened. There he stood in a white button down with his cuffs rolled to his elbows, that damn sexy ass watch shining against his tan skin, and jeans that looked like they had seen better days. _Fuuuck._

He strolled towards me holding a black tie in his hand. I put my hands on my hips, ready to pounce (pun totally intended).

"Where were you?"

"I had to go take care of something. Are you ready?" He grinned, tugging at my fingers where they still rested on my hips.

"Ya think?" I grabbed his wrist and turned it to glance at his watch. "It's seven thirty-six, just like you said." He laughed and held up the tie in his hand.

"Turn around, _please_." I groaned and did as he asked. On the inside I was grinning like a fool. Because really, he could tie me up, blindfold my ass, leave me in the desert with no water and as horny as I was, I knew I could sniff him out and be back to him by morning. I giggled to myself at the thought.

He took my hand in his, leading me into the elevator. I heard the chime signaling our stop and nervous anticipation got the best of me. I leaned further into him as he guided me through another room. We weren't in the lobby, so I could only assume we were in the small gym room housed on the third floor of our building. It wasn't long before my suspicions were confirmed. As he led me through a set of doors, the light evening breeze tickled my nose before he stopped to pull at the tie he had knotted on the back of my head.

My eyes fluttered open and I found myself face to face with a magical setting he had created on the rooftop balcony. He had placed white twinkling Christmas lights over all the shrubbery that lined the retaining wall around the perimeter of the space. The balcony wasn't very large by any means, but in the center he had set the small umbrella covered patio table for dinner, complete with an off-white linen tablecloth. Normally the balcony was littered with chaise lounge chairs and mismatched adirondack chairs. The chairs and new sunbed were neatly placed underneath the balcony overhang near the door where we stood. Tonight, it was clear, the theme was dinner for two.

"Wow, this is..." I sputtered, taking a few steps forward.

"Not enough?"

I spun around, realizing I was still holding his hand. "No, absolutely enough. Great, actually." I sighed. "You did all this for me, for us?"

"Well, I may have had a little help." He looked down, then grinned sheepishly as he looked back up at me from under his lashes.

"You did good."

"You think?"

"Oh, yeah, I think." I placed a light kiss on his cheek.

"Then come and eat before everything gets cold." He smiled and lead me to the table where he lifted covers from the plates to reveal chicken soft tacos. These weren't just any tacos either, they looked like my favorite. _How did he know?_ I wouldn't have believed it, but my heart got a little bigger knowing the effort he had put into making something simple, mean so much more. He pulled out my chair for me and I sat down, slowly. I was trying to savor every second of this. He stepped to the end of the table less than a foot away, sat down, and began pouring a glass of sangria for both of us.

"Are these chicken tacos from - "

"Crepusculo? Yes."

"I can't believe it. I haven't been there in months. These are my favorite." I smiled, looking from my meal and back over to him as I put my hand on his thigh. He gave me my favorite smile. The one that reaches his eyes and makes his whole face shine.

"I know. Now come on, eat. They won't be as good if they're cold."

We ate, talked about our families, recent cases, my new position and laughed about how many lawyers it took to assemble a sunbed on a Saturday afternoon. Out of nowhere, I remembered what I had been wanting to ask him about all day.

"What was the reason for meeting at exactly seven thirty-six?"

He flipped his wrist to look at his watch and leaned closer, taking my hand in his and said, "This."

He turned and motioned towards the sky. When he pointed it out, I was immediately drawn to the reds and purples of the setting sun. The clouds cast slivers of silver over red where the sun dipped below the horizon. He had planned everything simply and perfectly, timing our meal so that we could witness the most devastatingly beautiful part of a sunset, the part where the day joins with the night and the in between, which was twilight. I had witnessed many sunsets in my lifetime, but this was by far the most meaningful of them all.

"So is this the part in the cheesy romantic novel where I wrap myself around you and cover you in kisses?" I turned, leaning closer, tilting my head and watching his face as I laughed.

He smirked, then leaned in closer to my cheek before he spoke. "Well, if that leads to the part where I strip you naked and worship your body, then yeah. I think that would be a damn good start."

He reached under the table, grabbed my thighs and pulled me closer. My knees were touching his legs. The coolness of his watch on my skin did nothing to calm the burn I felt with his touch. I gave in to the fire and the cliche` as I wrapped my arms around his neck, placing my lips on his jaw, his nose, his chin and lastly his lips. I wanted to be closer. I wanted him. I wanted us, like this.

"So, what do you think?" He placed a kiss on my chin, then licked my bottom lip.

_I fucking stopped breathing. _

"I think you promised to touch me if I asked you when I was sober. And I need you to touch me." I licked his lip, tracing it slowly as my tongue sought his. Desperately seeking to match the rhythm of his hands as they caressed my thighs and moved upwards toward, my rib cage, my breasts, lingering, then moving back down. Splaying his hands across my thighs again, he trailed his fingers closer and closer to my center, rubbing his knuckles over damp lace, so close to where I wanted his touch the most.

I placed one hand on each side of his face and kissed him with every ounce of craving and want I had stored up for weeks. His wet kisses were like magnets, pulling me deeper. It was more than physical, it was the desire to be one, to literally mesh into him. We had spent so much time in the last few weeks being friends, getting comfortable, being close. Now I just needed his hands on me in the most disrespectful of ways. As he deepened the kiss, the wind ruffled our hair. I wasn't cold, but I shivered from sheer emotion I felt in his fingertips, his lips, his embrace.

He smiled against my lips. "Are you cold? We could go in or I have a down comforter I brought." He raised his brows, concern etched across his face. I shook my head.

"No, it's okay. I'm okay."

"You know, I've read that you warm up quicker if you snuggle naked, skin to skin." He raised his brows suggestively.

"Um...skin to skin sounds pretty dangerous. Once we get naked, I might want more than a boob grope. Just saying." I shrugged, giving him the Bella pouty-lip, as I traced my fingers along his cheek and jaw.

"You did not just give me the pouty-lip." He laughed and bit my lip. "Sometimes danger can be exactly what you need," he whispered, closing his eyes as he leaned into my touch, grinning.

"Then you better take off this shirt, counselor. I'm feeling pretty dangerous tonight." I fingered the buttons on his shirt, slowly unbuttoning the first, then working on the second. He stilled my hands with his.

"Dance with me. I want to capture every minute in here," he pointed to his head, "and in here," he took my hand and placed it on his heart covering my hand in his before he kissed my fingers.

His thick eyelashes fluttered across his cheek when he closed his eyes to kiss my fingers. He was beautiful to me in so many ways. When he looked up at me again, all I could do was smile and nod slowly in response. Tears were pricking at my eyes. I was so moved by the fact that he had made such an effort make this special. Not routine, not ordinary. Perfect for us, for the way were were and were meant to be. _Edward had brought the swoon._

**EPOV**

My fingers had a mind of their own, tracing the wetness I felt and continuing to move closer just hoping to feel the skin I had dreamed about for weeks. In my bed, in my shower, behind the cover of my desk. Bella's skin was like silk and my fingers were locked in like a target. I couldn't stop touching her as I worked my fingers further, grazing the lace underneath her dress with the back of my hand. She wanted me as bad as I wanted her. I waited for some sign of doubt or disagreement to reach her face. It didn't. Instead, she placed her hands on either side of my face and kissed me with more passion than I had felt in all my life. I knew this was right. And in that moment it became right for us.

I knew I had to regain some of my senses because I didn't want this experience to be over before it started. She was worth more than that. _We_ were worth more than that. I stopped her hands as she worked my buttons and asked her to dance with me as the first strains of Chris Isaac's _Wicked Games_ played through the iPod docking station speakers in the corner.

We stood and I pulled her closer, letting my hand fall to her lower back. Gently palming her ass through the flimsy dress she wore, I trailed kisses down her throat, across her collarbone, under her ear. I couldn't get enough of tasting her and when I flicked my tongue across her earlobe, sucking it lightly, a moan escaped her lips. I almost lost my shit. Her body told me what she wanted, but I needed to hear it from her lips. Because, after this, there was no going back and I would never be able to be just friends with Bella.

I placed both hands on her face, brushing my lips to hers. "Tell me you want this, Bella."

"More than anything." She sighed into my lips, kissing me so softly that I wasn't sure if it was real.

I held her close as we swayed and kissed some more. Then the rain drops started to fall. She squealed and we both looked up at the sky just as the clouds broke open, instantly drenching us both and everything nearby. Luckily we had left the sun bed close enough to the awning earlier and it wasn't getting soaked. However, I couldn't say the same of what was left of dinner...and us.

I grabbed her around the waist and tried to wrap myself around her to shield her a little. She wiggled away laughing.

"Are you afraid of a little rain?" She giggled, pushing her hair back out of her face.

"No, I was trying to keep you dry." Using both hands, I wiped away the rain drops running down my face.

"Don't. Let's dance...in the rain." She laughed, taking my hand over her head as she spun around giggling and carefree.

Her laughter was contagious. I pulled her closer, then extended my arm, twirling her around and around before I finally pulled her close and dipped her, placing kisses to her throat, then her lips, which were a scorching contrast to the coolness of the rain. We were drenched, our clothes sticking to our bodies everywhere. Bella may as well have been naked. The fabric of her dress clung to curves in all the places my fingers itched to touch. I swallowed thickly and took her hand.

"Come on, let's get out of this. Everything's dry over here." I motioned to the dry sunbed and down comforter. She nodded and we jumped puddles to get under the canopy. When we were out of the rain, I wrapped my arms around her. She laid her head on my chest as we stood there catching our breath and listening to the rain.

"We should probably get out of these wet clothes, huh?" she asked, pulling back a little to look into my eyes. Then she smirked, brushing her hips suggestively against mine. I chuckled because, unfortunately, my cock had been trying to introduce himself through my jeans for the last half hour.

"Yeah, we don't want to catch a cold right." I licked a raindrop as it dripped off my top lip.

She leaned forward and placed her lips to mine as she once again worked the buttons on my shirt. I couldn't wait much longer to feel the heat of her body on mine, so I started unbuttoning the buttons from the hem to meet her in the middle. Once I was shirtless, I helped her remove her dress, tossing it on the back of a chair nearby.

I spread the comforter as quickly as I could. I suddenly had an overwhelming need to wrap her in warmth, see her smile, hear her laughter and know what it was like to be a part of her forever. Feelings like this were not the norm for me, but I knew she was my new level of normal and that put an instant smile on my face.

As we shed the last of our wet clothes, we crawled onto the sunbed and under the comforter. I couldn't help but stare at how beautiful she was under the amber glow of the twinkling lights. Her skin moist from the rain.

Under the covers, I pulled her body flush with mine and wrapped myself around her. Kissing her hair, her eyelids, her temple, her lips.

"You are so beautiful." I used my lips to brush away a stray raindrop as it trickled down her cheek and she nuzzled deeper into my chest.

We explored. Warming each other with fingers and legs. Touching, tasting away the rain on each other's skin. Moving lower, I brushed my fingers over her clit before slipping my fingers inside her.

"Fuck, Bella." I groaned. So soft and warm, so wet.

Moving slow, then fast, in and out, touching in time with mouths as she bucked her hips into my hand seeking more friction, wanting more.

"Turn around." I whispered against her lips as I helped her shift, molding her body against mine.

**BPOV**

I was lost in a moment. One minute we were snuggled under the covers relishing in the warmth of each other's skin. The next minute, my back was pressed against his chest and I felt warm, delicious kisses on my shoulder and trickling slowly down my arm. His fingers lightly grazed my side, down to my hip and over my thigh.

Our breaths were ragged, like the pounding of our hearts. He gripped my knee gently and pulled my thigh over his hip as he entered me, rocking slowly, deeper with each movement. His hands and fingers were touching, gripping all over.

I was balancing on the edge of sensory overload when he stopped, only to lift my arm and place it around his neck. I twisted slightly, digging my fingers into his shoulder as he brought his head to my chest continuing to lick and taste, adding fuel to the fire. He palmed my breasts, sucking and flicking my nipple with his tongue. When that became almost too much, he let one hand roam lower, splaying to caress the area between my breasts, sliding down my stomach, and weaving a trail of fire across my skin.

The thunder rolled in the clouds above us as the rain continued to fall, drowning out the sounds that escaped our lips. He was inside me, wrapped around me, and the sensation was otherworldly. Raw, yet splendid. He left me never needing to ask for more, except I did, because I never wanted him to stop.

"More. Don't stop. Please." I turned, finding green eyes filled with as much desire as I felt. I breathed him in, breath for breath.

"Never," he responded, before crashing his lips to mine.

He shifted a little behind me, pushing and rolling his hips, entering me harder, faster. I was drowning. I was floating. We were skating to the edge together, always together. I brought my other hand down to join his, where his fingers rubbed and circled the very spot that would cause my body to melt and burn into him. Our fingers were intertwined, rubbing, circling my clit, adding pressure. Moving us closer to the edge as he thrust his hips harder, deeper, pumping faster until we crashed together.

As our hearts slowed, our breathing barely back to normal, he feathered kisses on my cheek, my neck and my fingers that were still joined with his. I fell asleep to the sound of light rain, feeling turned inside out with pleasure and wrapped in his arms.

**A/N: So..surely you guys that have this on alert have something to say about this!**

**There is absolutely no way in the fic universe that I could have written this without the help of the girls who took the time to talk me through this one (give me dirty words/send me lemon covered chapters to read) and hold my hand (tell me it was okay to giggle when I wrote said dirty words). **

**Thank you forever and a day, modernsafari1 and ameliakbedelia. ILYSFM!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. I do not own them.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 11**

**EPOV**

Before our night on the roof last month, an act as simple as brushing my teeth would have been a minor part of my morning routine. Something I did involuntarily while contemplating my day. But as we stood side by side in her bathroom, brushing our teeth wearing only our underwear and our hair still damp from our shower together, I had a moment of clarity. Everything about my life was right and she was the everything that put it all together perfectly.

I hadn't realized that I had completely stopped mid-brush when the lightbulb went off in my head. I found myself smiling, as my eyes locked with hers in the mirror just as she dropped her brush into the holder on the counter. She bent forward to rinse and I let my eyes trail down her body. Past her nipples barely restrained by the black lacy bra, over her sun-kissed skin that I knew felt like silk under my touch, and down to her delicious lace covered ass, which I openly admired while leaning back from the counter to get a better view.

"See something you like?" Her voice sounded like sleep, sex, and satisfaction. My body tingled in anticipation as she turned and looked me in the eyes. Judging by the smirk that covered her beautiful face, she was in as playful a mood as I.

"Maybe," I said, dragging out each syllable as I spoke before removing the toothbrush from my mouth, bending over to rinse, then turning sideways so that we were face to face.

She brought her hands up to my chest and skimmed the tips of her fingers slowly down my chest. She grazed my nipples and moved lower to grip my cock through my boxers before reaching around to plant her hands firmly on my ass, pinching hard. She gave me that she-devil look the whole time. The one I loved. The one that brought a different kind of fire to her eyes.

"Ow, woman!" I flinched. Laughing, I reached behind and grabbed her hands, trapping them on my ass. She laughed along with me and kissed my chin. Her lips, so soft, warm. There was nothing in the world like kissing this girl and just to show her I was ready to play, I bucked my hips forward, rubbing hard against her soft skin as my boxer briefs strained harder. I dipped my head, placing a kiss to her forehead and inhaling her scent. She smelled like summer time, fresh and slightly floral. I actually think it was some type of magnolia scented spray she used. Her sheets were covered in it, making me want to steal her pillow case and carry it around with me all day.

"You probably shouldn't start something you can't finish." Her words brought me out of my fog. When I pulled our hands around and between us, she stole a glance down at the bulge in my shorts as if I needed to know what she meant. I laughed out loud because I fucking knew I could finish it on the bathroom counter, up against the wall out in the hallway, in the bed or anywhere she wanted it finished. I was her man and work, be damned.

"You really shouldn't have said that, baby." My voice grew raspy and didn't really sound like my own. I flashed her wicked grin and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her closer as she snaked her hands up my arms to rest on my biceps.

"I'm not scared of you, Eddie boy."

I growled a little because even though I hated that name, I realized that it sounded awfully sexy as it rolled off her lips.

"Fuuuuck. You've done it now." I laughed and in one swift motion I moved my arms down her legs, grabbed her by her knees, and threw her over my shoulder. She immediately squealed and started slapping my ass as I stomped from of the bathroom and down the hall towards her bedroom.

"What are you doing? We're gonna be late for work." She giggled, breathless. I smacked her behind before I leaned forward dumping her on the bed with a bounce. Breathtaking.

I grinned because we both knew where this was going. I quickly shrugged off my boxer briefs, keeping my eyes on hers. She lifted her hips and slid thin black lace down her legs before kicking them in the air with her toes. She laid there, eyefucking me, open and waiting as I crawled slowly across the bed, hovering, withholding skin until the last minute.

I bent my head and tugged took her lower lip between my teeth, sucking, then grazed my lips across hers. "Fuck 'em," I whispered.

I continued to lick, suck, and kiss a trail from her chin down to her breasts. When she arched her back, pushing one of her nipples further into my mouth as I pinched the other, we both moaned so fucking loud that I thought the walls would vibrate. I lifted my head slightly so that I could look into her eyes. What I saw there was the same fire that I felt for her. It was there, always. I slightly lowered my hips as our breathing slowed.

"Forget work. _Fuck_ me," she breathed as she wrapped her hand around my neck and pulled my lips to hers, deeping the kiss, sucking my tongue, and lightly biting my lip before she released it and smiled.

"Oh, I plan to. You better hold on tight, baby."

oo LB oo

I woke sometime later to butterfly kisses. Bella's eyelashes tickled my cheek. She said her mom used to do that to her when she was little to wake her up. My girl had a thing for butterflies. She says she always admired how they grew from something so lowly and quiet into something majestic that could soar above all the things that threatened them. I scrunched my nose and laughed as she kissed my jaw. Laying in bed all day sounded like the perfect plan except we had depositions in the Clearwater case at one o'clock that day.

"You know we have to get up."

"Yeah, I know. I can't believe I fell asleep." I scrubbed my face with both hands, then raised up on my elbows on the bed. "What time is it?"

"It's 8:45 on a Monday. They'll be calling if we don't hurry. Get dressed, I'm getting coffee." When she scooted off the bed, I noticed she was already dressed for work.

"You're wearing that today?" I pointed at her black pencil skirt and stockings which had a seam running straight from her heel all the way up her slender calf and thigh where it disappeared underneath her skirt. _Clearly, she was trying to kill me. _

"Yeah, is there a problem?" she asked as she looked back over her shoulder and down at her skirt, smoothing her hands down her backside.

"No, just thinking how uncomfortable I'm gonna be during those depositions today. That's all." I grinned, winking at her as I sat up on the side of the bed and fished around under the covers for my boxers.

"Well, you are planning on coming home tonight, right?" She smirked.

"Hmm, well, just in case, maybe you ought to show me some leg to hold me over." I tipped my chin up in a half nod, still eyeing her fantastic ass.

"Ah, but good things come to those who wait, my sweet," she purred as she walked toward the bedroom door. I watched her stop, then turn and hitch her leg up on door frame, sliding it down, while holding up her skirt with one hand. Sure enough, there were fucking thigh high stockings underneath. The band at the top was black lace and it had a red ribbon threaded through and tied in a bow on the front. _Fuck me sideways. _ I swallowed thickly and shook my head as I pulled on my boxers.

"Killing me, girl. Killing me," I muttered to myself. Her giggle echoed off the walls as she retreated down the hall for coffee.

At the depositions later that afternoon, Bella fired question after question to Leah Clearwater concerning her story of the events leading up to the alleged rape. I watched as Bella carefully laid the foundation for the line of questioning concerning the gun. We had decided not to show our hand by presenting our theory prior to the trial. We took the approach that we should lay the groundwork in this deposition that would allow us to question her further at the trial, using the testimony of some of people Leah thought were her friends.

We had been able to secure statements from three individuals that had observed much more about Leah's behavior toward Seth and their relationship than she thought. They also had direct conversations with Leah at different times which suggested that Leah and Seth were trying to slowly work towards a reconciliation. In the meantime, Leah had been seen out and about with another young man on multiple occasions, after leaving from dates with Seth.

Seth completed a sworn statement to the fact that he was with Leah on the day in question, having consensual sex. At that point, he believed that they were trying to work things out and get back together. She had promised that her affair was a one-time thing and it was not continuing any longer. After they had sex on the day in question, she received a phone call, presumably from this other man. An argument ensued. She didn't deny that the phone call was from the other guy asking about plans to meet her later. Seth told her that it was over since she had broken her promise to no longer see the other man. He told her he would be meeting with an attorney the following day to file for divorce and seek primary custody of their child. He went home, made the appointment with the attorney, had dinner with his parents and went to bed. The next morning, he was arrested and charged with rape, tacking on the weapon charge because Leah knew he carried his hunting rifle in his truck.

Phone records and family statements supported Seth's version of the events. We also chose not to reveal this bit of information to Leah's attorney at this point. Basically, it was a he said/she said situation, which we narrowed down to a very small window of time consisting of the time spent at Leah's house on that day. Was it consensual or was it rape? The gun theory was literally our smoking gun. So we decided to sit on that for just a little longer.

I had to adjust myself no less than four times as I watched Bella work wearing that tight-ass pencil skirt and thigh highs. Knowing there was a little red bow at the top that I was dying untie with my fucking teeth made my cock ache under the table. It was all I could do not to rub one off as quietly as I could. _It was fucking uncomfortable, okay? Sue me!_

By the time we got back to the office, we were both feeling even better about this case and all I wanted to do was take my girl home. But she wouldn't let me. She said something about having to work today and she didn't feel well. When I questioned her about it, she just shrugged it off and said it was female problems or something. I'm not an idiot for sure, but one thing is certain, I have never been around a woman long enough to witness or help with any type of issues dealing with the female cycle, monthly. Whatever you call it. On this subject, I felt ignorance was bliss.

The truth was, I couldn't have been more wrong. As the week progressed, I saw Bella lose her shit over the stupidest things and she was fucking scary as hell when one of those "episodes" of crazy hit. Hell, I was in Emmett's office at the other end of the hall when I heard her yelling for me at work on Wednesday. I looked at him, he looked at me, and I did what any intelligent man would do. I fucking hid from her ass.

_Yeah, I did. I have balls to protect and I wasn't ready to face whatever she was throwing shit over that time._

By the time we got home Wednesday evening, I was still running scared. She huffed and grumbled around the house in her pajamas which covered up every damn thing, while she slammed doors and quickly worked her way towards draining a bottle of wine. I watched all of this from the comfort of the couch. I kept my mouth shut until she slumped down next to me on the couch, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin.

"I'm sorry," she huffed, crossing her arms as she pushed out her bottom lip and leaned on my shoulder. Have I said yet, that her mood swings were making me crazy? Yeah, well, this was a fine example and since she was apologizing, I decided to just go with it, making sure to pull a throw pillow over my junk first.

"Why are you sorry? Talk to me, tell me what's going on." I set my beer on the coffee table and leaned back again, resting my head to the side, on top of hers.

"I think, no, I know that I've been crazy the last couple of days and it's not over, mind you, but I want you to know that it has nothing to do with you. It's just PMS and when I'm like this, it feels like everyone and every little thing is just clawing at my nerves. I can't explain it any better than that. And the pain, every time I have a period, seems to get worse. You're just getting caught in the crossfire so to speak. So I'm sorry." She looked up at me shyly, waiting for me to say something.

Hell, I was waiting for me to say something. I may have zoned out when she said the word period. I wanted to plug my ears and sing "la la la la la la". So due to my inner ramblings I might have missed something. Therefore, I took the high road.

"What can I do to help? I hate to see you feeling like this."

"Well, honestly, it could be in your best interest to lay low, like under the radar, stealth mode for a few days. Can you handle that?" She grinned.

I didn't know if I could go days without touching her for sure, but stealth mode, I could do. I would do it, to protect myself. For some reason the terms tuck and roll came to mind. _Were these crazy hormones contagious? I was losing it._

"I can handle it. Whatever you need, baby," I said, looking into her eyes where I saw tears pooling. She nodded then quickly wiped them away and got up from the couch.

_What the actual fuck?_

"I'm going to bed. Are you coming or...?" she asked, as she started towards the kitchen, turning off the lights as she went.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a second. Can I get you some ibuprophen or a xanax... or three?" I chuckled as I made my way into the kitchen.

She stopped dead in her tracks. Obviously, that was the wrong thing to say. I have no idea what I was thinking because that couldn't have been a worse time to make a joke. I immediately smacked my head in frustration as I watched her turn around to face me with that fire in her eyes that I knew so well.

"Edward Cullen, I'm gonna let that one slide for three reasons." She took a couple of slow steps forward and braced herself on the bar in the kitchen, inching closer and closer to my face as she spoke. "First, even though I've been a cranky bitch, I don't mind you giving my shit right back to me. Even during this time of the month. Second, making wisecracks about anti-anxiety or anti-psychotic meds are not allowed, but you didn't exactly know that rule before now. And third, my body is just too fucking tired tonight to clean up a bloody mess. Otherwise I would gladly shank your ass for that comment. Now, it would be wise of you to remember this... tidy up your mess in here and get your goofy ass in bed before someone gets hurt." She pointed two fingers at her eyes and then pointed them to mine, as if to say she was watching me. Then, like Dr. Jekyl, she smiled sweetly and said, "Night, sweetheart."

I swear to all that is holy that the temperature in the room decreased by twenty degrees while she was speaking. I was shivering as I wiped down the counters and tossed my empty bottle in the trash. I even checked the fridge, twice, to make sure I hadn't left any containers of food that were more than a day old. I wasn't real sure how I was gonna handle the next few days, but I knew what I was doing first thing the morning. Google and I were going to have a nice little chat so I could get this shit straight. As a last resort, I would ask Jasper and Emmett for their thoughts. You know, solidarity and all that shit.

The next morning, Bella went to some kind of property damage trial or hearing or some shit with Rose. Alice had a child custody mediation outside the office. It was just guys in the office today, and that freed up my morning for the important things I needed to do. I started by Googling PMS and read all I could find. Symptoms, treatment, home remedies, you name it. I even lurked on some women's forums to find out what they were all bitching about so I could be better prepared. Jasper and Emmett wandered in my office and caught me looking this stuff up before I could even ask their opinion. It was probably a good thing, because I needed to be schooled on this shit. And fast.

For instance, I had been doing all the wrong things by accident. Like when I left my wet towel on the floor after my shower the other day. I had been rushing to try and catch her naked before work. I planned to come back and get it. But that didn't make it any more right, considering her "delicate condition."

I pulled my glasses off and scrubbed my face with both hands. "So how often does this happen each month?"

"Ed, I can't believe you are this clueless." Emmett shook his head and tossed the small basketball in his hands to Jasper.

"I'm not an idiot. I just haven't been around women when this type of thing happens. I've dated plenty, I just never let them be a part of my life, much less want to be part of theirs or even live with them."

Jasper tossed the ball back to Emmett. "Alice is like every twenty nine days. You should ask B."

"I don't even want to know why you have the exact details on that."

"Fucker, you better find out from B and put that shit in your blackberry with a loud fucking alarm. Trust me, you won't regret it." Emmett tossed the ball across the room, looping it through the goal attached to the back of my office door.

"You live together, you learn the signs. And about eight days before that time, well, it's time to disappear." Jasper shrugged, smiling at me over his cup of coffee.

"What do you do? I mean, she told me it would help if I laid low. But hell, I don't want to stay away from her for days," I sighed and closed my laptop. I didn't want this shit. I wasn't prepared to go back to my bed, my apartment, alone just because her hormones made her slightly homicidal. I preferred to take my chances.

"You don't have to leave permanently. Gah, Jasper and I hit the batting cages like every night for as long as we can. She'll eventually settle down a couple days before and then there's the tears. Rose has lots of tears. Then, you know you're needed and that kinda feels nice because I know I can hug her and make her feel better. But all that yelling and throwing shit? I'd rather take a fastball to the nuts than be around for that. We've got a good system here Ed. You better get on the wagon, dude."

"They say women get on the same hormonal cycle when they spend time with each other."

"That's just stupid, Jasper," I scoffed.

"No man, it's true. I read that shit in Maxim. Some doctor even gave his two cents. Besides, keep your eyes open around here. All these women are on the same wavelength. Trust me, even Kate. She came after me with scissors just yesterday because I didn't collect my messages as soon as I walked in. I had to fucking piss. I couldn't stop for that shit. But believe me, I will next time. Bitch is scary for sure."

"I've got to pay more attention."

"You better because I'll tell you man, what you really have to watch for is when she goes dead silent. That's when you just know she's about to fucking blow. If you ever see that, run man..just run." Emmett whispered the last part like we were all a bunch of hardened criminals planning a jail break. I bit my lip to stifle my laughter, but somewhere deep inside I was a scared little boy cowering in dark corner. I had seen that look in her eye last night when she threatened to shank my ass and I was man enough to admit that this mutherfucker was scared shitless.

"Yeah, and if statistics are accurate on this, you are about to enter hell week my friend." Jasper smirked, looking from me to Emmett.

"Yep, me and Jas have the cages reserved three nights this week already, starting tonight. Are you in?"

"How'd you do that? They usually don't reserve more than one day at a time."

"I know the guy. I did the loan closing for him last year. He's married. He understands."

I nodded in response to Jasper then made my decision. Thanks to Google and these guys, I was finally feeling more in control of my feelings and felt like I could probably handle anything she threw at me, figuratively, that is. I would just do my best to be supportive. I wouldn't make jokes about anti-psychotics, even though I kind of felt that it couldn't hurt, just for a week or two anyway. I would be myself and fire back at her, but choose my words wisely so that I didn't say anything I would regret later.

_This wasn't going to be easy. _

"Count me in. Stress relief." I chuckled knowing that there was no way I could do this without them. I was going to need the laughs, and lots of them so that I could help Bella in any way she needed me to.

"You got that right. Well," Emmett paused to look at his watch before he continued on, "I've got a meeting at ten and they should be here any minute so I'm going to my office. See you tonight, seven sharp." He waved and walked out.

"When are you going to tell her?" Jasper stretched and stood up from the chair where he had been reclining.

"What do you mean?"

"When are you going to tell her that you love her, Edward?"

"How did you know?" I smiled and crossed my arms. Jasper, always the observant one. Even though we were only a couple years apart in age, I always looked up to him as a kid. He had to have been one of the most genuine people I knew.

"You've changed. You bring her coffee, you find out her favorite food and put up twinkling lights just to make a date the best it can be for her, you take all her criminal cases to make it easier for her to transition into a new job, and you Google PMS symptoms so you can better understand what she's going through. That right there is love. You used to be selfish, now you're _selfless_ and it suits you. So, when are you going to tell her?"

"Soon, Jasper. Maybe when I know she's feeling better. I kind of have a plan, a grand gesture for a girl who likes things simple." I grinned, proud of myself as I thought about the idea I had been toying with lately. I wanted to tell her in a way that would stand out against all the other memories I hoped to make with her. I only had one person left to talk to about my plan and that was Charlie. I was going to call him next week after I had worked out the other details. I wanted to get his opinion on whether Bella would really appreciate what I planned to do or if it was just too much. I had a feeling he would say that it was perfect.

"Good. It's weird seeing you like this though. After college and all your _adventures_ in L.A., I just never thought I would see you settle down, but I'm happy for you. For you both."

"Thank you, Jasper. That means a lot." He smiled and turned to leave.

"So, tonight..at seven. We'll come around and get you about six-thirty, okay?"

"Looking forward to it." I laughed as he walked out.

I quickly cleared my desk and began looking through some of the cases I had on the calendar in the upcoming weeks. I found myself smiling and focused as I worked. My heart felt light. Like I was living a daydream and I didn't want it to end. I had great friends, the best girlfriend I could have ever asked for, and I was actually in love, in deep. I found it funny that after so many years of wandering day to day, without any thought as to whether or not the life I was chasing was the right path, it now felt like the road had become smoother, less difficult to maneuver. The true journey had finally found me, and it all started with her.

**A/N:**

**Thank you all for reading. It has been a while since I posted. The fact that you are still here, means more to me than you truly know.**

**Thank you to modernsafari1 who gives me the mom voice when she says "we need to fix this sentence." I giggle. Then, I do it just to see her smile. I love her like that.**

**Thank you to ameliakbedelia for her speed reading, thoughts and constant encouragement.**

**Rec: **

**Inordinate Passion by chantiemaya- **

**go read, give her some love for this fic, tell her I said hello.**

**Till next time..**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. I do not own any of it.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 12**

After spending the majority of the weekend in bed feeling as though my uterus was turning inside out, I could honestly say that I became all too intimately acquainted with my heating pad. I watched crappy Lifetime movies and ate ice cream by the pint while Edward snored next to me. Aside from putting up with my homicidal episodes, including my threats of shanking him, he had taken on so many of my cases that his hours spent at the office had increased such that he was basically eating dinner and going to bed.

As bad as I felt about his workload, he seemed to take it all in stride. He never complained, just kept working harder and, as Monday came, we both had court times in the morning. I was looking forwarding to seeing him in action. Even though it was a minor case and the trial would be pretty short, he was as prepared as he always was. I could see he had his game face on as he pulled his arms through the sleeves of his white dress shirt.

Edward always looked impeccable in a suit. It was like watching a transformation, and I often moved a little slower on court mornings so that I could catch a glimpse of him as he dressed. With his chin touching his chest, his lips pouted as he focused on the buttons of his shirt. His lips were utterly delicious, and watching him move through the motions as he wore that pout made me want to take it between my lips and make us late for work.

When he finished with his cuffs, he left my bedroom and strolled through the adjoining door to his apartment. He still kept all his suit jackets, ties and shoes in his closet. I sat down on the bed and lifted my leg to smooth out my sheer black thigh highs when I heard him approach the door and stop.

"Damn, that's a sexy sight to see first thing in the morning." He grinned and clasped his watch on his wrist.

"Oh yeah? Well, you and that watch do crazy things to me everyday." I smirked and stood up, straightening out my dress. I immediately noticed that he was wearing the red tie I bought him last week. I let my eyes trail from his sexy messed up hair down his chest, to his matching leather belt and shoes. He looked fucking hot in that black suit and tie. I couldn't help but smile when our eyes met again.

"Hmm. Maybe later, you can wear those thigh highs and nothing else and I'll be sure and keep my watch on." He winked.

"I think that could be arranged." I laughed as he reached for me, circling both of his talented hands around my waist and capturing my lips in a kiss that I was sure had melted the paint on my toenails. "By the way, I love this tie."

"I'm wearing it for you, baby. It makes me feel close to you even when I'm up there in front of all those strangers." He moved his hand slowly up and down my back, kissing me again.

"Is this Gucci?" I pulled away slightly and fingered the lapels of his black jacket.

"Hell yeah, it is."

"Ah, you're pulling out the big guns today, huh?"

"Yep. Paul's going down today. Besides, I got a hundred bucks riding on this one." He laughed and reached for his phone on the dresser.

"You know that is so unethical."

"Are you going to turn me in?" He raised a brow. "Besides, I've got a great case. I have two witnesses that put this kid at home on the couch. Paul knows this. I was just smart enough to know it before I made the bet."

I shook my head as we made our way through the apartment, turning off lights as we went.

Edward and Paul, one of the Assistant District Attorneys, went to law school together and reconnected over cases not long after Edward moved to Seattle. They've been betting on cases ever since. I wasn't a fan, but I knew Edward well enough to know it was all in jest. Simply because he prepared every case to win. The money was just something between the two of them that kept them from getting too cynical in light of the kind of work they did.

I stopped in the kitchen and refilled my coffee. I still had time to enjoy another cup before heading to court. I had docket call with Judge Black on Mondays for my City cases while Edward was scheduled in the next courtroom over. I planned on sneaking in the back after docket call since Judge Lang would likely take minor cases prior to the small trials he had scheduled. I watched as Edward emptied his cup, grabbed his briefcase and sunglasses from the dining room table and walked to the door.

"You're coming to watch this morning, right?" he asked, as he put on his sunglasses.

"I'll be there this morning. My appointment isn't until three o'clock this afternoon." I smiled.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go? I can have Kate rearrange some things."

"No, it's okay. I'm a big girl. We'll talk as soon as I get finished at Dr. Brady's."

"Okay. Well, I've got to get going. See you in a little while, baby."

"Bye, good luck." I watched as he walked out, closing the door behind him. I had just turned around to empty my cup when I heard the door fly back open.

"Just one more time. Those lips. Mmmm." He crossed the floor quickly, put both hands on my face and brought my lips to his again. He tasted like mint toothpaste and exhilaration. His mood was contagious. I laughed out loud when he finally broke the kiss.

"Bye."

"Go, you. You'll be late." I shoved his chest. He just laughed as he adjusted his sunglasses, then turned to rush out the door.

**LB**

Docket call lasted longer than I had anticipated. It was close to one o'clock by the time I finished presenting my cases. As I walked out of the courtroom and past the clerk's office, I briefly wondered if I had missed Edward's case altogether. I didn't have much time to observe before having to leave for my appointment with Dr. Brady. I wasn't looking forward to this appointment at all. After revealing to Edward that I had been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome two years earlier, that the abdominal pain was increasingly worse with each period, and that I had been putting off going for a checkup, he and the girls staged some mock intervention to make me schedule an appointment.

I saw Dr. Brady a couple weeks ago. She wanted to run several blood tests and an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed a mass of abnormal tissue on my right ovary. Because this condition increases my risk of developing cancer, she insisted that I have a biopsy, which she scheduled emergently the next day. I don't think that was normal protocol, but ever since Alice and Rose referred me to her office three years ago, she and I had been friends as well. When she read the ultrasound, I could see the worried look on her face. I knew there would be no way I could talk her out of the biopsy, she was set on having it the next day. Luckily, it was an outpatient procedure and I was out by late evening. The appointment scheduled for today was to get the results of the biopsy. To say that I was dreading it, would be an understatement.

I took a deep breath and tried to clear my head as I rounded the corner toward the the next courtroom. Before I even made it past the doorway, I heard his laughter ring out, followed by Mrs. Cope's signature cackle. The sound of his happiness stopped me in my tracks. I turned and leaned against the open door, watching as he animatedly waved his arms retelling some ridiculous story. Mrs. Cope listened with rapt attention, laughing every now and then. My grin turned into a full blown cheeky smile when I heard her ask him when he was going to take her to lunch. Mrs. Cope was about sixty years old, and it was more than comical that she was openly flirting with Edward. What was even funnier was the sweet blush that graced his cheeks as he grinned and looked down at the file he held in his hand before he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Cope. I'm a one-woman man."

"Edward, honey, I'm just kidding with you. I just wanted to see you blush." She laughed out loud and the other girls nearby joined in. I chose that moment to try and rescue him as I called out across the room.

"Mrs. Cope, you wouldn't want this one anyway. He's pretty shady, I hear." I winked in her direction. He stepped away from the desk and turned his blushing cheeks toward me when he heard my voice.

"I'm betting you're just the one to fix that, too, Bella," she teased.

"I think I can handle him from here," I said. Edward just laughed and shook his head as he walked closer to where I stood.

"Bye, Mrs. Cope. I'll get this file back to you tomorrow." He waved before he came to a stop just beside my shoulder in the doorway. With his eyes locked on mine he spoke in a low and velvety voice. "We'll see who's handling who when we get home."

"Ow!" I yelped when he swatted my ass with the file in his hand before he strolled past me and out the door. I turned and stepped into the hallway, laughing as I raised my brow in challenge. He was walking backwards with his arms stretched wide.

"I couldn't resist, baby." He laughed as he pushed open the courtroom door and walked inside.

**LB**

Once again, I was mesmerized by Edward's intellect. Power and confidence rolled off him in waves as he stepped to the podium and presented his opening argument. It was flawless. He presented the jury with enough information to be able to navigate the evidence in such a way that they could understand. He didn't use big, flowery words or legal terms. Instead, he really related to them when he spoke. I watched their faces as they listened, hanging on every word, watching every movement he made. It really was something to behold, and as I looked around the room, there wasn't a face that wasn't transfixed by his presence. I couldn't have been more proud of him than I was at that moment.

I checked my watch frequently. I didn't want to be late for my appointment with Dr. Brady. When I realized it was after two o'clock, I quietly stood and made my way to the back of the room. As if on cue, I felt him watching me. With my hand on the door, I turned in his direction. He smiled and tugged on his tie, my tie, then mouthed the words 'good luck.' I gave him a thumbs up and walked out.

I giggled to myself the entire walk back to the apartment to get my car. I'm sure random passersby probably thought I was crazy. I was hopelessly in love with this smart, crazy, beautiful man and I didn't have the slightest idea how to tell him. But, I knew, without a doubt, I would find a way.

**LB**

I was settled in Dr. Brady's office just after three o'clock. I crossed and uncrossed my legs that wouldn't stop bouncing. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. It had been there all day. I just kept pushing it away, for the sake of pretending that the news I was going to hear wouldn't be bad. Dr. Brady walked in and took the chair next to me. She didn't look quite as nervous as I felt, yet I knew it was never a good sign when the doctor sat next to you to deliver results of a test.

"I have the results of your tests, but before I say anything, I want you to know that you do have options."

"Just give it to me straight." I let out the breath I had been holding, straightening my shoulders as I prepared for the worst.

"Bella, the cells we collected from your ovaries indicate that it's Stage I Ovarian Cancer. However, due to your age and overall good health, you have options I wouldn't normally suggest had things been different," she spoke slowly. Her tone of voice was professional, yet I felt the underlying sadness as she continued to watch me, likely waiting for a meltdown. Instead, I nodded for her to continue.

"Because we caught this earlier in the development, your options are pretty clear cut. First, if you want to have children, it would be beneficial to get pregnant as soon as possible. I can closely monitor your condition with ultrasound for any changes in the cell growth. I can certainly say that you have an excellent chance to conceive and carry a baby to full term without complications. I would advise you to stop taking your birth control pills at this point because they are no longer effective against further production of cysts. Also, this would allow your body time to adjust while you are making your decision. If you choose this option, I would like to schedule another intrauterine ultrasound in the next few days, along with some blood work, to get a better picture of your current reproductive health."

"Pregnancy isn't an option many women have with this condition, but you have this small window of opportunity due to early detection. Also, with the addition of hormone medications, normal changes in your body and constant monitoring, I have every reason to believe things will go very well. Do you have any questions so far?"

"No, please continue." I clenched my eyes shut and took a deep breath. If that was the best option, I wasn't sure I was ready for the second best.

"Option two is a little more radical in terms of finality, Bella. If you chose not to have a child, then we should proceed with removal of your ovaries sometime within the next six months. I don't see a need to rush the procedure at this point. However, I wouldn't want to wait any longer than that, unless you planned to become pregnant. I do need to tell you that even if you chose the first option, we would still need to remove your ovaries as soon as, or very soon after, the baby is born. That is the only way to remove the cancer so that it doesn't spread to your uterus and other abdominal organs."

"So, what is the survival rate if I choose one option over the other?"

"Well, of course, if you had your ovaries removed sooner, that would be best. There are no guarantees with cancer, ever. But I can say with utmost medical certainty that time is on your side either way. Removal of your ovaries now, or after the baby is born, should you choose to become pregnant, would likely render the same result - ridding your body of the cancer." I nodded slowly. I didn't really have words for all the things I was thinking at the moment.

I felt like the floor had fallen from under my chair. Regardless of my choice, my ovaries would have to be removed. It was just a matter of now or later. For the third time in as many months, my life, my so-called plan, was cracked at the foundations. I guess I always knew I wanted children, but now? I certainly didn't want to think about cancerous cells in my body. The thought, the risk, of leaving them there and doing nothing was far more than I wanted to think about. I gathered my purse and thanked Dr. Brady for her time. I think I was in shock. I stared numbly at the nurse when she handed me a plastic tote bag full of brochures and reminded me that Dr. Brady wanted me to discontinue my birth control pills until I made a firm choice one way or the other. They were useless against the strength of my disease. That's also exactly how I felt at that moment, useless. One could likely add hopeless to the mix and we would have made a great couple.

I didn't realize I was crying until I felt the breeze chill the tears on my face as I pushed open the front door to her office. I had to get control of myself. I needed to talk to Edward. I stood there on the sidewalk consciously taking one breath after another before pulling out my keys and heading to my car. As I continued to walk slowly, there was a war brewing in my mind.

_Should I have baby? _

_How do I even do that? Go to a sperm bank? _

_What would I do with a baby? I've never even babysat before._

_What if Edward leaves when he hears what's going on?_

_What if I'm not cut out to be a mothe_r?

_What if..._

And then I heard it. The sweetest sound I could have heard that moment. A baby was softly crying somewhere nearby.

I scanned the parking lot and noticed a young mother who looked to be close to my age, bouncing her baby as she lifted it from the car seat. She probably thought I was some looney tunes baby stealer the way I was watching them so closely. When she turned and smiled over her shoulder, we locked eyes. That's when I knew what choice I had to make. I never really understood the longing a woman could have for a child, the biological clock ticking and all that. However, sometimes fate knew just what we needed, gave us that little nudge in the right direction, to find the answer from within. The answer that was waiting to be said, needing to be thought, was right there in front of me.

I wanted to become a mother.

**LB**

As soon as I stepped out of my car at the parking garage next to our apartment building, I texted Edward and asked him to meet me at Sam's, a quiet bar across the street. I walked in, slumped down on a stool and motioned for Sam to bring me the usual. After two shots of vodka, I was nursing a beer when Edward finally walked through the door, smiling as he waved to Sam, before settling down on the stool next to me.

"So how'd it go? I get the feeling you're upset about something." He nudged my shoulder with his.

"Not so good. Um...if I tell you everything that happened today, can you listen as a friend, with an open mind? It's a lot to take in and I'm not sure I'm ready to tell my boyfriend because I don't know how he'll handle what I have to tell him." I looked at him out of the corner of my eye as I peeled the wrapper from the bottle I was holding.

"Oh, you have boyfriend? Sorry, miss. It was nice meeting you then." He laughed and started to get up. I reached out and grabbed his coat sleeve.

"Please, Edward," I pleaded. I wasn't in the mood for his antics at the moment. I had too much to say and I didn't even know where to start.

"Fine. I can listen as friend, but I reserve the right to return to boyfriend mode at any time."

I looked down, hesitating.

_How was I supposed to say this? 'Oh hey. By the way, are you busy on Saturday? No? Well, want to make a baby?' _

"It's really a long story, anyway." I waved my hand, stalling.

"We've got time."

"What time is it?"

"Um, seven thirty."

"Then, no, we don't."

"What?" He huffed. "Bella, just spit it out."

So, I did. I told him everything Dr. Brady said from the minute she stepped into her office, and by the time I got to the end he was facing me, listening and rubbing my back. I was a blubbering, scared mess. I had no idea how he was going to react to this and clearly, with all the snot sobbing I was doing, I wasn't putting forth the most convincing argument that I could be anyone's mother.

"Shhh...baby. Calm down, okay? Let's just take a step back for minute," he whispered, as he pulled me to his chest, smoothing my hair and placing kisses on my head.

I nodded and leaned back, noticing Sam had placed a box of tissues on the bar in front of me. I took one and blew my nose, loudly. He held my hand and retraced my conversation, stating the facts, but highlighting the positive things I told him Dr. Brady said. I tried to listen, I really did. But, the more he talked, the more thoughtful his face became. The smile that I didn't realize I was wearing until that moment, got bigger. After hearing all of this, he was still my Edward. He could take an extremely fucked up situation such as ours and replay it in such a way that my mind could grasp what was truly important at that moment. He was calm in a crisis. Prepared, selfless, protective, and loving.

By the time he finished talking, I was smiling like a loon. I would never have imagined that a high strung, workaholic, type A personality like me would be lucky enough to fall in love with a caring, wonderful, type B personality, like Edward. When he finally finished, I set my beer on the bar and leaned forward, placing my hands just above his knees.

"Well, what do you think?" He leaned forward with his brows raised, placing his hands on top of mine. I leaned up a little, rubbing my nose back and forth against his. He rolled his eyes and grinned.

"Were you even listening? I wanna know what your thinking."

"Edward, I think...I love you and I really want to have a baby with you." He was silent for a few seconds and I worried that I may have been wrong about how he felt. Then, I watched as his face broke into that beautiful smile that touched his eyes, the smile that was all mine from the very beginning.

"Bella, you complete me." He chuckled, lifting his arms and draping them across my shoulders as he leaned closer and kissed my nose.

"You had me at hello," I responded, trying my best to control the laughter that wanted to escape my lips.

"Hearing you say that just sets my heart on fire." He smiled into my lips as we kissed.

"I knew you were the one who filled up the DVR with all those lifetime movies," I deadpanned. He tilted his head back and laughed out loud.

"So, what do you think about what I said?" I asked, as my lips moved against his. We locked eyes again as my lips moved against his.

His eyes, the windows to his soul, showed me all I really needed to know at that moment. I saw the future. Our future, our family, and I wanted all of it with him. His words weren't necessary, but they were like music to my frightened spirit. Leaning his forehead against mine, he whispered almost reverently, against my lips.

"I love you, too, and I really wanna have a baby with you."

**A/N: Thank you for reading and thank you all for your kind words in your reviews. They mean more than you know. Thank you to my girls, my sisters, who help me with this each time. You know who you are. You complete me.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 13**

I was startled awake from my baby daddy sex-induced coma when I heard my front door click shut. I checked the time on my phone on the bedside table. It was one forty-three in the morning. Realizing I was wearing only my thigh highs, I panicked and pulled the comforter up to my neck. I was just about to wake Edward when I heard the distinctive sound of Alice's flip flops as they smacked across the hardwood floor of my apartment. I rolled my eyes when she and Rose tiptoed through my bedroom door and came to stand just beside my bed.

"Bella," Alice whispered. "Are you awake?"

"I am now. What are you doing here at this hour?"

"We were worried and Alice made me get Emmett's master key so we could check on you."

"I'm fine. Really. It's complicated but everything is going to be okay." Edward groaned next to me and I jumped. "Seriously, this could have waited until in the morning."

"I know. I'm sorry. We were there when Edward got your text and, well, I couldn't get it off my mind that something was wrong," Alice pleaded.

"You might as well give her some information now, B, or she's gonna camp out here until morning." Rose laughed, putting her arm around Alice.

"Well, long story short, I'm gonna have a baby." I winced, waiting for the response that would surely wake up the sleeping bear beside me. Alice and Rose both look as excited as two kids on Christmas. Alice opened her mouth to scream and Rose quickly clamped her hand over her lips.

"Don't even think about it, _tiny ninja,"_ Rose hissed. Alice's shoulders slumped as she pulled Rose's hand away.

"Fine. You know you want to scream too, _crotching tiger_." We all laughed just a little too loudly in the dark.

"Bella," Edward croaked in his sleepy voice. I grinned when I looked over and noticed that he was sprawled out face down and the sheet had ridden up his legs. The only part of his body that was covered was his ass and he if he moved too much Rose and Alice would be formally introduced to the very best part of his anatomy.

"Go back to sleep," I whispered, running my fingers through his hair.

He didn't listen. Instead, he lifted his head and turned to face me. He yelped when he caught sight of Rose and Alice standing by the bed and began jerking the sheet and comforter to cover himself. In his moment of modesty, he pulled so hard on the comforter that was lodged underneath me that it nearly flipped me over the side of the bed.

"What the actual fuck!" The muscle in his jaw twitched, then he sighed.

"What's your problem spaz?" I swatted his chest. He narrowed his eyes at me, then turned to Alice and Rose. If I had learned anything by sleeping with him night after night, it was that the boy did not like to be woken up.

"_My _problem is that I'm trying to sleep and these two creepers woke me up in the middle of the night." He gave the comforter one last pull.

"Hell, Edward, go back to sleep. We were just worried. We certainly didn't mean to wake your grumpy ass," Rose spat as she crossed her arms.

"Both of you are nuts, by the way." He pointed his finger at Alice and Rose, before bringing his hand up to his face, squinting in the dark to check his watch. "It's two in the morning and I'm...wearing nothing but my watch. Now go back to your husbands so I can snuggle with my woman," he grumbled as he turned back over onto his stomach. Sliding deeper under the covers, he stretched his arm across my middle and tugged me closer to his side.

They both laughed and walked out of the bedroom as I waved from my warm cocoon in the bed.

LB

The weight of my new life settled on my shoulders over the next few days. Instead of having more meltdowns, I became overly obsessed with observing Edward's behavior. I think I was really just wondering why he wasn't freaking out about this shit. I mean, we had just made a life changing decision while sitting in a dark bar on a Monday night. Was I the only one who still thought that there had to be something a little off about both of us? And maybe that thing might somehow scar our future child?

Instead of saying anything I simply sat and watched him for the next few days. Aside from having devastatingly beautiful features and a good heart, I realized that he was addicted to junk food. _Why had I not noticed this before?_ By addicted I mean full on sneaking that shit into his desk and trying to hide his Ding Dongs and Ho Hos.

I was only mildly concerned when I had noticed during the past few weeks that he munched on Cheetos every day, but since Monday I swore he was on a fucking processed food binge. I was beginning to worry about him. I was contemplating an intervention and diabetes test. I had mentioned as much to Alice and Rose who agreed to back me up should the situation get any worse. I was determined to confront him about it, but I needed to see for myself the extent of the damage.

By Wednesday afternoon, I was convinced it was time to determine the depth of his need for lard and chocolate. I watched from across the hall as he walked out of his office and headed towards the reception area. I tiptoed across the hall and around his desk. I knew he kept the Cheetos in the lower left hand drawer so I decided to open it first.

_What the hell?_...

Hostess and its processed food friends had fucking exploded in his desk drawer. There were Cheetos, Twinkies, Zingers of all flavors, pink snowballs, Moon Pies, Ho Hos, Swiss Rolls, and Ding Dongs. I stood there gaping at the contents of the drawer when he breezed through the door and came to a sudden stop just in front of his desk. We shared a look as I slammed the desk drawer. It was more like a stare down, like Leo gave that guy in The Quick and The Dead. Edward knew his secret was blown, but I decided to use reverse torture and not say a word.

I smoothed my dress, titled my head side to side and rolled my shoulders before standing a little taller. I blew a kiss in his direction, flashed him my most wicked "I got you this time" smirk, then strolled confidently out the door and back to my office. I think he was stunned stupid. He was still standing there facing his desk by the time I was settled back at mine. I couldn't help but laugh. I may have even cackled maniacally just to freak him out a little.

I love messing with Edward. He is always so easy going, but oddly enough, so careful, methodical, and predictable. I used that to my advantage and knew my silence would say more than anything. Sooner or later, I would find out what was truly behind all the snacks. I had a feeling it had everything to do with our life together and the baby situation. He had nothing to worry about; I knew he would be a great dad. However, I still wasn't convinced I could be anyone's mom, no matter how badly I wanted it. Those doubts had already started to kill me a little on the inside.

LB

The next week I had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Brady for some additional blood work and another ultrasound. Edward insisted on coming to the appointment with me and in light of all the doubt that had been swirling through my head, I had hoped for better news than what I had gotten. We barely talked on the way back to our apartment building and as we got out of the car to walk back to the office he knew I was upset.

I promised myself I wouldn't let it bother me so much that I would lash out at him. But damn, my insecurities were getting the best of me while his optimism was driving me fucking insane. We both had depositions in separate locations scheduled for later that afternoon so the possibility of discussing this was totally trashed by bad timing.

That didn't stop him from trying.

"Hey, you know everything is going to be fine, right?" He breathed, trying to keep up with me on the sidewalk. I knew I was walking faster than normal; I did so when I was agitated. Hell, if he would lay off the Ho Hos and Twinkies maybe he wouldn't be having such a problem keeping up. I gave him the evil eye and kept walking.

"Bella, slow down. Talk to me." He grabbed my wrist. My shoulders slumped in defeat. I couldn't believe we were really going to do this now. "Please," he pleaded.

"Fine. I'm defective and I'm scared. Are you happy?"

"What? You're not defective. She advised you to take injections, Bella. It's just to strengthen your uterus. Calm down, you're overthinking this." He chuckled, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and pulling me to his chest. Luckily we were standing in front of our office. People were probably used to seeing this type of odd behavior from McCarty employees.

"That's easy for you to say. She said my uterus was hostile, Edward. Hostile!" I pushed his chest lightly to break away from his arms. He glanced around, then smiled and nodded at a couple who had stopped to stare as they passed the crazy lady yelling at the hot dude on the sidewalk.

"Stop. That's what the shots are -"

"You don't get it," I interrupted. "What if she told you your penis was angry...or ugly?"

He winced, looking away, then back to me.

"I see your point." He coughed, still grinning. "But just think of all the trying we get to do. That's the best part, right?" He winked before he leaned his head lower, touching his lips to mine.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head at his effort to gain a smile from me. I couldn't think about that right now. I wasn't in a good place about this. I sighed, watching as he straightened his shoulders, buttoned his jacket, then leaned down and planted a smacking kiss on my cheek. I was scared and insecure and his brand of funny wasn't working today.

"Uggghhh," I groaned. "I have to get to these depositions. I'll see you later." I turned to walk away.

"You've gotta stay positive, baby." Without turning around, I raised my hand and flipped him off.

"Aww, shorty! Is that any way to treat your baby daddy?" he called out, laughing. I stopped in the doorway of our building. I turned to look at him and pointed two fingers at my eyes, then pointed them to his, letting him know I would be watching his ass and that I was not amused.

LB

I was scheduled to start my first round of injections the next day. Dr. Brady suggested that I do a round of low dose fertility injections every other day for the seven day period prior to ovulation. She also suggested that we get "cracking" if we wanted to make a baby. Of course, Edward snickered next to me. He only laughed harder when I slapped his arm. I'm sure Dr. Brady thought we were both going to make _great_ parents. We couldn't even act like adults at the moment. On the other hand I was actually thankful for the laughter, it broke the tension in the room. I really hated needles. I wondered if Edward had given any thought to the fact that he may have to hold me down to give me those damn shots when we started them the next morning.

"Bella, wake up. It's time for your shot." He kissed my cheek and started pulling the covers off my body.

"Hmm. What?" I hadn't even heard my alarm _go off. As_ soon as the cold air hit the back of my legs a deep cough rumbled from my chest. Edward backed away from the side of the bed as I turned over and sat up. He squinted his eyes and pointed at my nose.

"Is that snot?"

"It most certainly is not. Give me _a _tissue." _What a great way to wake up, jackass._

"It is. You're sick, Bella." He handed me a tissue and sat on the edge of the bed.

"No, Edward, I am not sick. I don't get sick, okay." I scoffed, then cringed at the honking noise I made when I blew my nose _in_t_o t_he tissue.

"I'm not stupid_, _pretty girl. You've got a summer cold." He patted my leg. I swatted it away.

_I'm not sick you chipper-ass-morning-person._

"Whatever. Let's do this thing. And I'm not sick, dammit." I turned over on my side and slid my shorts down a bit. I clenched my eyes together and bit my lip to keep from crying as he gently stuck me with the needle.

"All done." He rubbed the spot with his hand.._._and continued to rub larger circles on my ass.

"Okay, dammit. I don't feel well." I slapped his hand away. "Let me sleep for 20 more minutes." I heard him chuckle behind me before leaning over to place a kiss on my head.

"Okay, babe. I'll bring you some coffee in a few."

"Mmm_, _thank you_,_" I mumbled and drifted off again.

Of course, as soon as we got to the office Edward spread the word that I was fucking sick and Kate started passing out trial size bottles of Purell. I gave her the bitch face when I passed by her desk on the way the bathroom. She simply shrugged and mumbled something about not wanting to take home my germs to her baby. I still wasn't convinced this was anything more than the sniffles. These idiots were totally overreacting.

"Bella, what the hell? That's like the second time you've sprayed snot in my face." Rose grabbed a tissue from the box on my desk and held it over over nose. " Are you trying to kill me with your germs?"

"I'm not sick. Shut up." I sneezed again.

"You are so. You've been sneezing and hacking all morning. Please, go the fuck home."

"No. And what's your problem over here?" I waved a hand in Alice's direction. "What's with the fucking mask? I don't have the plague."

"I'm not catching what you've got." She squirted hand sanitizer on her hands and started rubbing it up her arms. "Jasper and I have a vacation planned and my ass is getting on that plane. So you keep your germs over there. I don't want them."

"I'm not sick, I tell you. Get out of my office, both of you."

"Not until you tell us how things are going with the baby making. Are Rose and I gonna get to be aunts any time this century?" She adjusted her mask and crossed her arms.

"Not funny. Dr. Brady has me using fertility injections." I groaned and took a drink of my tea.

"Oh my god! Why didn't you tell us?"

"Alice, it's not big deal. I was upset at first, but it's only for this week, seven days. I can handle three injections. Besides, she feels like this will be the nudge my near dead ovaries need to jump start this process." I shrugged and went back to typing some notes from a case file on my desk.

"Sounds like you just need to jump start that man of yours. I'm betting he wouldn't mind showing you some moves to make the ovaries quiver." Rose snorted and poked Alice in the arm.

"Stop it." I threw a dirty tissue at her face. "Quiver, really? That's just...and we're doing our share thank you."

"Bella, you gotta be proactive. Are you taking your temp and using all the special positions and such to get this show on the road?"

"If you both must know, I've been doing all that, just not consistently. Work is tough right now and I've been preoccupied with it I guess. After all, it's barely been a week. What did you expect?" I gave them both a questioning look.

"I don't know. We're just excited I guess. Besides, the timing is right. The shots and ovulation and such, it's bound to happen." The little wrinkles around her eyes told me that Alice was smiling behind her mask.

"Yeah, we really can't wait. Em and I were hoping for one of our own before now, but we just haven't been able to make it happen." Rose tossed the magazine she had been looking through on my desk.

"I know. Jasper and I actually talked about it for the first time last night when I told him about you and Edward. He was so happy and well, I think I'm finally over myself enough to start a family."

"Oh, guys, that's so great." I sneezed and then felt tears pricking at my eyes. "Damn hormones." I sniffed and wiped away more tears. They both laughed and shared a look. I guess I was the sideshow freak for the day.

"Are you two creepers making my woman cry?" Edward strolled through the door and stopped near my desk, bringing his hands to his hips.

"Shut up, baby daddy," Rose retorted.

"Rose, he's not even that yet. Apparently his swimmers aren't doing their job," Alice teased.

"I'll have you know my swimmers are just fucking fine, thank you. Don't you guys have some work to do?"

Alice and Rose cackled as they left the office. He shook his head, slid into the chair and propped his feet on the desk. I raised a brow, eyeing his shoes on my desk then blew my nose again. He shrugged and crossed his arms.

"Really, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You're sick and you're crying. That doesn't say fine to me."

"I'm not sick. But yes, I'm fine."

"Bella, when your N's sound like D's, you are not fine." He laughed. I looked down and sniffed again. In an instant, he was up, around the desk and standing near my chair. Like a child, I wrapped my arms around his hips and hugged him to me. I don't think he was expecting it, but I was just feeling so lost all of a sudden. I needed to cling for a minute.

"I know, I know. It's a lot to deal with, isn't it?" He stood there, letting me cling as he smoothed my hair and rubbed his other hand up and down my arm.

"I just...the stress of work and everything is killing me today. I don't know. I guess, I just - whatever. Alice and Rose are thinking about getting pregnant and it would just make me happy if we could all be pregnant at the same time. It would be nice, ya know? Not to be alone."

Taking my hands in his, he pulled my arms from around his waist and squatted down to next to me.

"But you're not alone. You have me."

"I know and I love you. So much. But let's face it, you're a man. You aren't wired to understand this stuff like women do."

"You're right, but I know several things that those other two definitely don't."

"What's that?"

He cupped my face with both hands. "I know that your skin feels like silk under the spray of the shower. I know what your laughter sounds like when you're dreaming. I know how you like to warm your cold toes under my ass, but you don't like me complaining about it." He got to his feet and pulled me up into his arms as he swayed us back and forth there beside my desk.

"I know that you're scared of the unknown. You're so stubborn and beautifully independent that it takes someone like me, who knows how your heart moves, to show you that you are perfect in every way. You can do this, and you can be just as outstanding as a mom as you are in everything else you do. I've never met anyone like you and I'll never let you forget it."

I stared into his eyes, not wanting to believe the words I had just heard, but somehow I knew they were all true. He wiped away a tear from my eye with his thumb and brought his lips to mine. When he bit at my bottom lip and sucked it between his teeth, I reveled in the feeling of safety and love I felt in his smooth kisses. Urgency fueled by desire caused us to deepen the kiss. I reached around his back and pulled his hips against mine. He swayed his hips and I gripped his ass harder. We both laughed, but I was thrilled even more at the much needed friction it gave, even for an instant.

He leaned forward, letting his head fall to my shoulder and placed a kiss at the base of my neck. His lips were hot like molten lava, stinging my skin as he whispered, "Why don't you lock the door?"

My breath hitched, my heart pounded, sex in the office with Edward had been a fantasy of mine for a while. We had never made time, but today was the time.

"I think I can handle that." He released me from his arms. I walked slowly to the door, closed and locked it, then turned around and stalked slowly back to him while unbuttoning my shirt.

"How long to do we have?" He smirked and flipped his tie over his shoulder.

"About twenty minutes, give or take." I grinned and threw my shirt on the couch nearby. I watched as he loosened and slipped his tie over his head, unbuttoned his shirt and threw it over to the couch where it landed near mine. He looked back at me and wrapped one arm around my waist while he ran the other hand up and under my hair to the back of my neck bringing my lips crashing against his. This kiss wasn't gentle. It was filled with love and lust and all things sensual. He licked my lips one final time and pulled back smiling. We were both panting as he planted more kisses along my jaw, under my chin and down my neck. He brought both his hands to my chest and pulled down the fabric of my bra to reveal both breasts. His eyes sparkled as he took in the sight of my chest heaving before him. He licked his lips, then his eyes flicked up to mine just before he spoke with that silky, sensual voice that only made me wetter as words fell from his lips.

"For the next twenty minutes you have a choice, Ms. Swan. Give or take?" He leaned forward, and with his eyes trained on mine, his tongue snaked through his lips. Then so painfully slow he licked one nipple then the other. I couldn't contain the moan that escaped my lips. This was the sweetest torture. I grabbed his face in both hands and brought his lips to mine, kissing him slow and deep before pulling back to catch my breath and give him my answer.

"I'm taking today. I want it all. Always." He nodded slightly and placed a kiss on my lips before he continued licking, sucking and kneading my breasts.

His hands made their way further down my body to my hips, pulling greedily at my skirt. He pushed it up my thighs before hooking his fingers in the waist of my panties and pulling them slowly down my legs, kissing a trail across my skin as he stood again. I ran my hands through the hair at the back of his neck and pulled him closer to me. We were both breathing heavily, loving out of control. He touched me like he was memorizing every detail of this moment. He carefully licked every spot his fingers had been, adding to the simmering need I felt between my legs.

"We don't have much time. I want you now." He kissed me one last time and spun me around so that my hands landed flat on the desk. "I really need to be inside you, to be surrounded by you. Is this okay...like this?" He breathed into my spine, hot words and wet lips across each vertebrae, as his hands splayed wide at my shoulder blades and moved slowly down and around to cup my breasts.

"Hell, yes. Please." He pushed hips forward, resting against my ass while lightly pinching and rolling both nipples between his thumb and forefinger. "Get your clothes off now." I groaned and pushed back into him.

"Fuuuck, Bella." He removed his hands from my breasts and within seconds I heard his belt buckle hit the floor. I tried to steady my breathing, but it was a lost cause. When his fingers slid up the backs of my thighs, pushing my skirt up to my waist, my head fell forward between my arms as my whole body shuddered with anticipation.

"Fuck me, Edward. Do it now." I breathed the words as I watched him over my shoulder.

With one swift, forceful movement he was inside me, thrusting harder, faster as we both moaned and grunted toward our release. His hips pushed and pushed, deeper until the sheer force of my arousal had me lying flat, feeling the coolness of the wooden desk against my chest and face. My laptop was perched on the far edge and with each thrust we knocked pens and papers over the edge and around the room. None of that mattered at the moment. This was just us, connecting, feeling something raw, real and fucking loving it.

"Holy Shit, you feel amazing." He grunted and drove deeper. I cried out, yet pushed back against him doing my best to meet every thrust. I wanted and needed all he could give.

"Fuuuck, I'm close. Please, faster...don't stop." He leaned over and placed his lips to my mid-back before running his hand under my hair and lightly pulling my head back and lifting my chest just enough so that he could get his hand around my waist and underneath me.

"Are you ready, baby?" he panted against my shoulder. I could only nod my response. I was barely breathing as it was. "We do this together. Always." I nodded again. "I fucking love you, Bella."

"I love you too, Edward. Now touch me. Please." When his fingers reached my clit, he circled once, twice, three times before he pinched it causing the most overwhelming orgasmic warmth to spread through my thighs, my stomach and up to my chest like sparklers on New Years Eve. At the same time I cried out, he grunted and thrust twice more before he stilled with a loud groan. We both exhaled slowly into each other and laughed. Although it took a few minutes to get our breathing back to normal, we stayed on the desk as we were with his back covering mine, holding me close as always.

"Thank God Emmett has a big mouth and had to install those sound proof walls when he opened this place." He laughed.

"I know that's right." I sighed and he stood up, pulling me with him, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

"You feeling any better?" He licked and kissed my shoulder. I smiled and turned around to face him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I have a feeling I will always feel better as long I'm with you."

"Sounds like a lifetime of feeling good. You sure you can handle that?" He smirked and started giving me butterfly kisses on my cheek. I giggled.

"Absolutely." 

**A/N: I'm sorry this took forever to update. I hate when that happens and I apologize. RL kicks me in the shin a lot. The next chapter is over half-way ready and will post much, much quicker than this one did.**

**As always, thank you for reading. Your kind words make my heart sing.**

**Thank you to these fine ladies for helping me get this done: **

**Modernsafari1- you kick my ass in gear and I love it.**

**Ameliajbedelia-you rock and your rec's keep me afloat.**

**MelFin80-you are southern sweet and you helped me keep it real, yo!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. I do not own any of it.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 14**

I was so thankful it was time for my last shot. Luckily, Edward was good for a quick stick. _Pun totally intended. _I loved him and his shot in the ass humor. However, by the time Monday rolled around I was busy with city council documents to review, a noon conference call with Mayor, and an afternoon staff meeting at City Hall. Because of this, I kept my fingers crossed that Edward would be too busy to bother me. I was wrong.

Just after lunch, I had taken a call from Tanya. She and I had been catching up on cases, and our personal lives, for at least fifteen minutes while he stood leaning against my door frame and marked edits on a document. I knew he was waiting for me, but Tanya and I had started talking about babies. She was ecstatic and stressed that despite my diagnosis a baby was the silver lining to my dark cloud. I agreed; her giddy disposition was contagious and somehow I already felt like things were changing in my body.

Obviously, he took his designated "shot giving duties" a little too seriously. He looked up from his paperwork and walked into my office just as finished the call with Tanya.

"You got a minute?"

"Um...only one. I have to get to City Hall for staff meetings this afternoon." I grabbed my briefcase from the floor and began shoving in the files I needed. I still held out hope he would get the hint and walk way.

"Good. One minute is all I need."

"What? Why?"

"Unzip your skirt." He grinned and reached for my zipper.

I pushed his hand away and moved around him to finish gathering my paperwork for the meetings. "Huh?"

"I said, unzip your skirt. Come on. I'll be quick."

"No, Edward. I have to get to these meetings." I turned away from him again. When I bent over to grab a couple pens, I felt both of his hands on my hips, his warm breath on my neck as I stood up.

"In and out. I'll be quick. I promise." He purred in my ear then placed a kiss on my neck.

"Not here, you dork. We can do this at home. Really."

"Nope. I won't be home until late. I've got a short trial this afternoon. Come on," he pleaded. "If you won't do it for me, then do it for our future child." He looked at me with puppy dog eyes and a pouty lip as he twirled the syringe in his hand.

"Fine. But don't plan on using that pout again for a while. I'm on to you, buddy." I unzipped my skirt, pulling it down on my hip just before I felt the prick of the needle. Painful as always.

_I fucking _hate _shots. Thank goodness that was my last one._

"Mmm... thank you, baby. Now go do your thing." He placed a kiss on my neck and then on my cheek.

"Last one, right?" I turned to face him while adjusting my skirt.

"Last one, my love." He smiled back at me. "Now we make all the babies." He rubbed his hands together, flashing a devilish grin.

"Babies? Who said anything about more than one?" I side-eyed him as we walked out the door and into the hall.

"I've got good swimmers, babe. Don't doubt the Cullen genes." He winked and smacked me on the ass as he pulled me close. We smiled into each other's lips and kissed a little longer than we should've in the hall between our offices.

I couldn't help but laugh at his confidence. He was truly my other half. He was the part of me that stole away all the doubt I had about being a mom and turned it into something to smile about. Every day he showed me how to let stress fall away instead of festering deep. He made me laugh when I wanted to cry. He made me act silly and inappropriate just to see me smile, and he always found a way to make even the bad days sweeter just by listening. He was all of that and he was mine.

LB

_**..four days before my period...**_

_I had pissed on ten pregnancy test sticks today. ALL NEGATIVE!_

It had been almost two weeks since my last shot and ovulation. I was moody, sweaty and just plain frustrated. I was distracted and having trouble concentrating...and I may have stolen two butterscotch Zingers from Edward's stash. I barely got to spend any time awake with him this week. His caseload was overflowing and all of them seemed to be moving to trial at the same time. My cases were moving, just in different ways. Ways that forced me in the office and virtually chained to my desk for the last week or so.

Aside from all this, I felt the early morning temperature taking and baby making sex was kind of ruining our usual mojo. It's like we had turned into freaking baby making robots. We literally got in and out while we were half asleep then napped where we landed until the alarm went off again at seven. It definitely wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, and it was all making me a very grumpy person lately.

Alice and Rose each had recent examinations with Dr. Brady and were ready to jump in head first. I'm pretty sure they could see how fucking exhausted Edward and I were. After staring at the same piece of paper on my desk for another fifteen minutes, I decided to get out of the office for a while. I needed a change of scenery. I needed to find Edward. He always grounded me when I felt jittery like this. I made a quick stop by Alice's office, then the bathroom, before I headed out the door.

A few minutes, two danishes and two coffees later, I found him sitting at a quiet table in the old law library on the top floor of the courthouse. He looked so serene, with his head resting on his hands, as he looked down at the book in front of him.

As I got closer, I realized that fucker was asleep!

_Oh hell no! _

I kicked the leg of his chair, jarring him awake. He screamed out when he looked up, realizing I was scowling at him.

"Bella, what the hell?" He straightened his shirt and tie with one hand and ran the other through his hair.

"You tell me! I've been as restless as a crack whore in a confession box all day and here you are up here in a quiet room fucking sleeping." I threw his danish on the table and sat his coffee next to it before sliding into the chair next to him.

"Thank you." He turned up his cup and smiled. "And I haven't been up here all day. I came up here about 30 minutes ago and I guess I fell asleep not long after I sat down. I'm just so damn exhausted."

"Me too. I'm sorry I yelled. I can't shake this cold. The meds make me jumpy and without any sleep...I don't know."

He took my hand, rubbing his thumb across my knuckles. "I know. Maybe we should stay in bed all weekend. I know we could use the rest." He leaned over and kissed me on the forehead.

"I don't know." I shrugged, then blurted out, "I peed on ten sticks today, Edward. Ten."

He choked on his coffee and swiped at a spot on his tie before turning in his seat to face me. "Where did you get ten pregnancy tests?"

"Alice stole them from the doctor's office. That's not really the point though." I waved my hand dismissively. "All of them were negative."

"She stole them? What the hell?"

"Edward, those things are like ten bucks at the store. Besides, she cut me off at ten so she and Rose would have some to use when they needed them. With my luck they'll need them before me," I pouted.

"Stop with the lip." He poked at my pouty lip with his finger. "So what made you want to take them today?"

"I'm feeling all weird and I know I'm close to my period day. It's disappointing; I want this to happen. Where are those swimmers you said were so good, huh? 'Cause I'm beginning to think they have been out to lunch the last couple of weeks. Maybe it's all that sugar you're consuming." I leaned back a little, pretending to check out his ass in that chair. He side-eyed me for a second then cleared his throat.

"Anyway, I think you're just not feeling well and maybe your body is playing tricks on you. We just need more sleep and time to relax." He finished his coffee and put his arm around the back of my chair, pulling me closer. I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed. If we were tired now from a busy caseload at work how would we ever make it as sleep-deprived parents? Within minutes I felt the slow and steady rise and fall of his chest. He was asleep again. I didn't bother him other than to wrap my arms around his waist and snuggle closer...for just a short nap. 

LB

As I lay in bed the following week, too sick to move and sweating out a fever in the middle of the summer, I vowed to never be lazy enough to take a cab ride again. At least if I did, I would never touch anything inside. As soon as my fever spiked, Edward freaked the fuck out and called his dad who's a doctor back in Los Angeles.

I mean, really. The man is a plastic surgeon. I argued, but Edward waved me off as he made the call. Apparently doctors are doctors no matter their specialty. I didn't know and didn't care. I just wanted whatever toxic germ that had entered my body to find its way to the nearest exit and back the fuck out.

After four days of feeling like I had been dragged across the desert while tied to the back of a three legged-camel, I was gradually thinking that either this horrible sickness was payback for all my deviant behavior or there was something else going on inside my body. The fact that I hadn't started my period really didn't bother me since it was likely this super germ had done a number on my cycle as well.

In the meantime, nurse-ward, wouldn't leave me at home alone. He brought all of the Clearwater case files and piled them in our bedroom. He handed me the remote and a box of tissues before he made himself at home on the bed next to me. At first I thought it was really sweet. But by the fourth day in that bed I realized that he was really just keeping me from going into work.

I worked out my plan between reruns of Jersey Shore and The View. I sent him on several errands in an attempt to get him to leave long enough so that I could get dressed and sneak up the rear stairs to our office. But twice he caught me just as I got to the door and ushered me back to bed. I had to face the facts, his ass was planted on that bed and he was determined that I would stay there too.

_I need a more direct approach._

It was mid-afternoon on the fourth day and I decided that I'd had enough. I pushed the covers back, scooted to the edge of the bed and hung my legs off for a few seconds. I took a couple deep breaths while I tried to get my footing, then I stood up and stretched.

Every muscle in my body ached as I straightened my arms above my head. However, when I turned around, I plastered on the biggest smile I could muster. He casually looked up at me through his glasses before he set his pen down and smirked.

"Where are you going?" He spoke slowly then shifted on the bed.

"I'm going to work. I've had enough of this sick time shit and, well, I'm going to work. We have the Clearwater trial we have to work on and I have a ton of cases littering my desk. So, yeah, I'm going to work." I crossed my arms and nodded.

"Hmmm."

"Hmmm? Is that all you got to say? 'Cause I'm kind of in a hurry here."

"Well..." He exhaled and looked at the mattress. In the next instant, he jumped up and across the bed with his arms open wide, coming straight for me...just as I ducked and sidestepped away from him.

"Shit!" With a loud thud, he landed on the floor next to my feet. I uncovered my eyes and looked down to see him shaking his head and laughing. "Damn, I broke my glasses."

"Were you trying to kill me? I'm sick, remember?"

"Now you're sick?" He rolled his eyes. "Your health, especially while we are trying to get pregnant, is so much more important than the Clearwater case or all the files you have on your desk. Kate can field the calls. The others will help too. If you'll stay in bed just one more day, I promise we'll work on my opening and closing for the Clearwater trial." He put one hand on each of my shoulders, leaned his forehead against mine, shaking my shoulders back and forth, as he spoke.

"Please, do it for me," he said. I looked away. How was I ever gonna resist him? He always got his way when he poked his lip out like he was doing at the moment. I side-eyed him and he laughed as he nuzzled my neck and used his secret weapon - butterfly kisses on my cheek.

_I was dead. The butterfly kisses always got me. _

"Don't kiss me, I have the flu." I made a lame attempt at pushing him away as I slunk back to the bed, pulled back the covers and got back in. Defeated.

"You're on the fourth day of vomiting and feeling bad. What if it's not the flu?"

_Edward, always the genius._

"It's the flu, okay? You're dad said so." I sniffed and pulled up the covers.

"You're scared to take a test."

"No, I'm not. And what makes you think your swimmers are so good to get me pregnant this fast? This is a hostile environment, remember? Besides, morning sickness wouldn't start this fast." I shook my head. All the insecurity I felt inside bubbled to the surface.

"Cause I got in there deep, baby." He wagged his eyebrows. I couldn't help but laugh at his cocky ass and the way just a few words could make me want to straddle and ride him until next week.

"Don't do that."

"What?"

"Get me all worked up." He was running his fingers lazily up and down my arm. I giggled and swatted his hand away.

He scooted closer and lowered his voice, whispering in my ear. "Why not, butterfly baby?"

"'Cause I might vomit all over you...and I look like shit."

"But you feel amazing," he cooed.

"Stop." I huffed and crossed my arms. He shook his head and got off the bed.

"Where are you going?"

He grabbed his keys from the dresser and walked towards the bedroom door, stopping next to the bed to plant a smacking kiss on my cheek. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Don't do it."

"Do what?" he asked incredulously, holding his arms out to the side. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Do you need anything while I'm out?"

"Nope."

"I'll be back."

"Don't do it, Edward." I leaned over and yelled down the hall as I watched him walk away.

"Can't hear you!" he called out over his shoulder. I sighed and rolled over in bed. He was determined to get a test. I smiled knowing he was going always going to be the person I wanted to take care of me. What was even better was that I knew he wanted to do that, hopefully for the rest of our lives. That realization was beautiful and I only hoped that my body didn't disappoint him once again.

A few minutes later I heard him return, whistling as he came down the hall. I had just closed my eyes, hoping to convince him that I was asleep, when I felt the cardboard box hit my chest.

"I know you aren't asleep. Go take it."

"I will after I shower." I tossed the box on the nightstand.

"Why wait?" He mumbled while chewing half a twinkie.

"You know that's going straight to your ass." He raised his brows as he strained to looked over his shoulder to check out his ass.

"Don't change the subject. My ass is fine, girl." He raised his voice a little and pointed at me. "Now get in there and take that test."

"No. It's gonna be negative and I don't know if I can deal with that again."

He tossed the plastic wrapper in the trash and frowned as he walked over and sat on the bed beside me. "Look, whatever happens happens. We try again. I'm here, you're here. As long as we want this together, nothing can stop us. Okay?" He grinned and placed his warm lips on mine.

"Fine. I'll go take a shower. But I can't make any promises."

"You do that." He helped me up and smacked my ass as I walked out the door. 

LB

"Feel better?" he chirped as I entered the room and got back into bed.

"Yep, the shower felt amazing."

"So, how long are you gonna sit there without telling me?"

"I don't know." I continued flipping channels while chewing on my thumbnail. I couldn't even look at the test. Instead, I pissed on it, capped it and put it under the sink. I had no idea what his reaction to that would be, but that one little stick was fucking haunting me from twenty feet away. Yet, I still wasn't ready to go and see the results.

"Okay, but I'll go and look myself if I have to."

"No, just wait. I didn't even look. I shoved it under the sink. I- I'm feeling a little terrified here. I really just need some time. Please."

"I can do time. No worries, baby, I understand." He exhaled and closed his notepad before gathering up the work he had scattered across the bed. "In fact, I'm going to go back to the office for a bit so I can dictate these notes and return some calls. I should be home in a couple of hours. You'll let me know when you're ready, right?" He leaned over and pulled me in for a hug.

"I will. I promise. I'm just scared, Edward." I knew I had disappointed him by not telling him immediately. I could see it in the way he had slowly gathered his paperwork. His eyes were always shining. Although, when he pulled away and placed a kiss on my forehead, I noticed that his eyes were no longer shining. They had now grown dim. I had let him down. Once again, I was being selfish because of fear.

"No, just wait. You have preliminary hearings tomorrow and we need this off our minds so we can work on those and the Clearwater case. I'll go look and then we'll get these cases ready for tomorrow. Okay?" He grabbed my wrist as I made a move to get out of bed.

"Stop. You don't have to look now. You need your rest and I understand that you're unsure of how to deal with the results. I'm okay giving you your space. Besides, you can't be there tomorrow. You've been sick, you don't have the energy Bella."

"I most certainly will be there. I know these cases inside and out." I brought my hand to my mouth as I felt the bile rising. This was the absolute worst moment for me to get sick, but it convinced me even more that this was the flu and it wasn't finished torturing me yet.

"Bella, I-"

"No arguments, Edward. Now hand me that wastebasket." I barely choked out the words before I emptied what was left in my stomach into the trash can in my hands. Edward handed me a tissue and I wiped my face. I could hear him snickering next to me and knew he no doubt wore some shit eating grin that was just going to piss me off.

"Go to work, asshat. I don't need to hear it. I'm sick, I get it." He laughed and leaned over, nuzzling his nose against my cheek before whispering the sweetest words a person could ever hear after blowing chunks in front of the man they loved.

"Just so you know. I may be an asshat, but I'm your asshat. I love you even when you're covered in snot and puke. So don't forget it." We sat there staring at each other, wearing matching goofy grins, until he finally got up and left.

Once I heard the door click shut behind him, I got up and brushed my teeth, then crawled back into bed. I woke some time later after having the most magical dream. Butterflies were everywhere. We were surrounded by an illuminating white light.. A yellow butterfly balanced on the tip of my finger, while another danced on my bare shoulder. I smiled up at Edward just as he raised his hand and brought it to rest on my barely pregnant stomach. Just as I covered his hand with mine, I felt the tiniest flutter inside. Our tiny baby had stretched its wings for the first time.

I sat up in bed, still dazed and floating from such a strange dream. I had just wiped the sleep from my eyes when it occurred to me that the dream must have been a sign that it was time to stop wallowing in insecurity and fear. It was about time I got my ass up and took a look at that test.

I padded to the bathroom, turned on the light, and while taking a cleansing breath, I pulled out the test from the cabinet beneath the sink. I brought it closer to my face with my hand still covering the result window. I clenched my eyes shut and opened them again. I lifted my fingers and gasped when I saw the results. I closed my eyes, bringing my hand to my head as I slumped against the vanity. I took a few slow deep breaths to try and stay calm. I clearly couldn't deal with the results alone. I had to get to the office, to Edward.

I grabbed my purse and keys and headed out the door. Had I been thinking clearly, I would have realized two very simple things that actually became clear when I stepped out of the car in front of our office building. First, I had no idea how to parallel park. I only hoped that the part of my car that was jutted into the street would survive. Second, in my haste to leave I had forgotten to exchange my grinch slippers for flip-flops.

_Oh well, at least it fits with the craziness that is my life._

I rushed into the office like my ass was on fire, only to be met with horrified looks from Rose and Alice as they emerged from their offices after hearing me asking Kate about Edward.

"Bella, are you okay? You're hair looks like shit." Rose pawed at my head.

"Rose, leave it. Alice, where's Edward?" I shrieked.

"He's in his office, I think. Tell us what's going on."

"I just need to talk to him." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Emmett and Jasper coming around the corner to join the crazy train I was driving, but I couldn't care less. These people were no help at the moment. I needed to see Edward and things were going to have to get ugly to get his ass off that phone.

"EDWARD!" I shouted down the hall from the reception area. I heard some shuffling and grumbling just before he stepped into the hall.

"Bella. My God, what is it? Are you okay?" His hair stood on end. He looked confused, stressed and..utterly beautiful. Tears filled my eyes as I stood there in a daze. I only saw his lips utter my name again before I blurted the only thing I knew to say.

"We did it! We really did it! We're going to have a baby." He brought his hands to his hair and looked up at the ceiling as he sighed. When he looked back down he was biting his lip and smiling so wide and happy that I felt it in my toes.

His smile reassured me in ways I never thought possible until that very moment. But, it was the unshed tears filling his eyes that I noticed from twenty feet away that caused my heart to erupt with all things made of love and that sent me floating, filled with light, just like in my dream.

"Well what are you waiting for? C'mere, butterfly baby!" He stretched out his arms and I took off running toward him. He scooped me up and twirled me around in the hall. I sobbed into his shoulder as I felt his tear soaked kisses on my neck. They were the happiest of tears, the kind that leave your heart shiny and new, ready for new beginnings.

He stopped twirling me and pulled back to look into my eyes. "A baby. Really?" he whispered.

I laughed lightly and answered, "Really, really." He threw his head back and laughed out loud as I tightened my arms around his neck. I felt the laughter rumble through his chest. But the tenderness in his eyes as he put his lips on mine, kissing me with the kind of love that says forever is what took my breath away. I giggled and pressed my forehead to his. He squeezed me tighter, grinning as he spoke low and sexy against my lips.

"Oh, baby, baby. I love you."

**A/N: Now, who wants Edward to give you a shot in the ass? *raises hand* I know I'm not the only one!**

**Thank you so much for reading and staying with me and this little tale. The next few chapters are going to be more like glimpses into the pregnancy rollercoaster. The timeline will be listed in pregnancy weeks at the top of the document and anywhere else that time skips. (i.e. xx weeks) They also may alternate between POV as the story tells itself. But, that will be marked as well.**

**Thank you modernsafari1 for getting out your whip- loved every minute of it! Thank you ameliajbedelia for reading and sharing your wonderful thoughts and, thank you Melfin80 for reading and being so happy to do ****this for me. Also, a big shout to TwistedLea who did a new banner for me since things have kind of changed with these two since we started this ride. Love her hard!**

**I started a new job and haven't gotten to read as often. Here are a few recs: **

**Inordinate Passion by chantiemaya- because she is lovely and her E has my heart**  
><strong>Ain't Nothing But a Family Thing by Notthatamanda- because it is new, poetic and different-cool<strong>  
><strong>Southern Comfort by JiffyKate-because these girls are southern and their Cajunward is hot!<strong>  
><strong>Taboo by Robshandmonkey-because she is sweet and her vamp is most definitely not sparkly!<strong> 


	15. Chapter 15

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 15**

**A/N: My real life has been more angsty than a chapter of #Dusty lately. So.. this is just a short chapter of fun. The remaining chapters will be relatively short from now on.**

**I love you all and especially the girls who support me so much in this: modernsafari1, ameliajbedelia and Melfin80. **

**Hope you enjoy!**

When we had our first appointment with Dr. Brady a couple of weeks ago, she estimated my approximate due date as April 13th and gave me a laundry list of foods and medications to avoid. Unfortunately, one of those included caffeine.

_What the hell?!_

Once I got over my momentary inner meltdown, I realized that the solution to this problem was easy. I wouldn't let Edward see this list and I would fight to the death for my coffee and Diet Coke. It was just that simple. I figured the worst that could happen is that I'd give birth to a green-eyed child who bounced like a jumping bean all day. I shrugged and considered it worth the risk. I may have also mentioned to Edward on the way out of the doctor's office that maybe he should start a workout routine so he could keep up with our bouncing child. He snorted like the man-child he is and pulled another Ho Ho from his pocket.

_Bastard._

A few nights later, when we were getting ready for bed, he brought up the one event I had been avoiding; telling our parents about the baby. More importantly, we had to tell Charlie.

"Hey, you know we have to make a trip to Forks, right?" he called out as he shuffled down the hall towards the bathroom where I was busy brushing my teeth. "Your dad has been texting me like mad lately about going fishing." He laughed, still looking down at his phone as he reached the doorway and leaned against the door frame.

I stopped mid-brush. He stood there in white boxer briefs, absentmindedly running his hand through his hair, as he continued to smile and scroll through texts. He was ridiculously sexy in a suit. But standing there in only his boxers, sleepy and worn out from his day, he was beautiful. There was no way I was going to be able to keep myself from jumping his body at the most inappropriate times when the pregnancy hormones really kicked in.

I rinsed my mouth and splashed some water on my face while my ovaries did a lap around my uterus. I rested my hand low on my belly just as he looked up from his phone.

"What?" His grin matched mine and told me that I was caught.

"Nothing. Just admiring the view."

"Hmm. Sounds a lot like changing the subject."

"Nah, it would be changing the subject to ask you to turn around and shake it for me." I smirked, raising a brow in challenge.

He tilted his head and gave me that devious, electric smile that had turned my world upside down since the first time I saw it. He hesitated only a second or two, letting his hands fall to his sides, before he turned his back to me slowly. He placed his hands at shoulder level, bracing himself in the doorway, and smiled at me over his shoulder.

"Are you watching, hot mama? I'm only going to do it once." I nodded, feeling my face heat up. I hadn't blushed in years and this fine ass fucker had me blushing again.

He turned back around, laughing, and began to slowly swivel his hips. Bringing his hands down, he hooked his fingers into the waist of his boxers and began pulling them up and down as he shook his ass just to tease me. Just when I thought this couldn't get any hotter, he pulled his boxers lower to reveal just the top of his bare ass. Then, with more skin showing, he started shaking it harder. I swear his butt cheeks were vibrating like a stripper. It was by far the hottest and funniest thing I had seen him do yet.

Until...he turned and showed me his version of a body roll. Then, I lost it. Clutching my chest, I laughed out loud as he continued to move closer, almost humping my leg as he danced. I could see that it was taking all he had not to laugh too. He finally gave up and started laughing as he grinded against my backside while the tips of his fingers trailed up and down my arms.

"Okay. Okay," I said between giggles. "You can stop now, big daddy." He laughed and righted his shorts before wrapping his arms around me, his hands settling low on my stomach. I placed mine on top of his as he swayed us back and forth.

"Are you sure? I've got a whole routine I'd like to show you." He lightly bit my ear then kissed me just below it.

"Yes, I'm sure. And we should go see Mom and Dad this weekend. I'm sure Dad's going to freak." He kissed my neck gently, humming against my skin.

"Whatever you say," he whispered. "Now, put your feet on top of mine."

I did as he said, placing both my feet on top of his as he stood cradling me in his arms from behind. "Now what?"

"We're going to bedroom so _you_ can shake it for me." I smiled as he began walking us, still joined, down the hall.

"Fair is fair, stripperella. It's time to show me what you got." When we reached the bedroom, he picked me up, spun me and kissed me soundly on the lips.

"I love you, crazy man."

"I love you, hot mama. Now, shake that ass for me, woman." He put me down and swatted me on the backside before he flopped down onto the bed, resting his hands behind his head.

_Oh, it's on now, hot shot. _


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own it.**

**Legally Bound**

**Chapter 16**

The ride to Forks was fairly uneventful other than a minor incident at the 7-Eleven. I learned that my lightning reflexes were no longer as good as they used to be. I quickly left the bathroom and headed to the fountain drink station for my standard Big Gulp. Just as I put the cup under the dispenser, I heard Edward yell across the store.

"Oh hell to the no!"

I swear he leapt five feet just to push my cup aside. Of course, it didn't end there.

"Seriously, dude! I'm pregnant. Aren't you supposed to be pampering me or some shit?" I pushed his hand away and put my cup back in place.

"Bella, I swear, I'm not doing this with you today. Put the cup down and step away from the Mountain Dew."

"Jump back, boy. I'm going to have caffeine. So shut it...here's a Twinkie." I shoved the confection into his chest.

"Shit...gonna be hyped up...fucking kids...can't go without caffeine one damn day," he muttered under his breath as he stomped away. "This isn't over. I'll be in the car."

"Yeah, you do that." I bobbed my head. "Damn he's a hot motherfucker when he's mad."

The blue-haired lady next to me gasped and started to scurry away. "What? Don't tell me you don't think that's hot." I held out my hands before pointing at the door. She made some sour puss face and hurried to the next aisle. I shook my head and dumped my Mountain Dew.

"Shit," I hissed. "Your daddy may have won this one, but I'm not giving up my caffeine. You hear that little man?" I whispered, patting my belly. I glanced around and grabbed my water bottle, deciding it was definitely time to leave before the guys with the white jackets showed up to take me away.

I slowly made my way to the car and got in. Edward turned and gave me that bitch brow again. I didn't even look at him. Instead, buckled my seatbelt then picked up the water bottle and held it as close to his face as I could and swayed it back and forth.

"Are you happy now, party pooper?" He gave me a smug smile and put the car in gear.

"Very. Thank you, baby."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." I opened it and took a drink as we pulled back onto the highway. 

**LB**

Edward's parents were flying into Seattle and meeting us in Port Angeles for dinner over the weekend. We planned the weekend this way so that we could make our big announcement to both sets of "grandparents" at the same time. Things didn't quite go as we planned.

_Leave it to Charlie to jack things up._

With Edward standing by my side, I told my mom and dad that we were going to have a baby. As soon as the word "baby" left my mouth, Charlie literally swayed and passed the fuck out in the kitchen floor.

_I swear. I couldn't make this shit up. _

Of course, my mom went into nurse mode and began fanning him and touching his face. She may have even pumped his chest a couple of times. I turned to Edward and rolled my eyes. He shrugged with a worried look on his face.

"He's totally faking this shit just for theatrics." I crossed my arms and Edward draped his arm over my shoulder as he whispered in my ear.

"He's gonna be okay, right? I don't think I can hold off my laughter much longer."

"I don't know. I've never seen him do anything like this." I yawned. I knew he was okay. I swear Charlie was just doing this shit to get mom to fawn all over him.

_Such a drama queen._

"Dad, wake up," I yelled. "I'm going to take a nap now. When you wake up we can talk...or whatever."

Mom continued to call his name and palm his cheek. Edward turned and left the room. I heard his laughter over the thwacking sound of mom slapping dad on the face.

"Damn nut cases. Thank God Edward's parents are normal." I shook my head and walked up the stairs to my old room.

**LB**

Nothing I had read so far could have prepared me for the pregnancy sleepies. It had gotten so bad that I had fallen asleep at my desk earlier in the week...while on a conference call. So it was no surprise when I woke up to butterfly kisses on my cheek and Edward's soft whispers in my ear, that I had taken one long-ass nap.

"Hey." I croaked and turned over stretching my arms.

"Did you rest okay?" He placed his hand on my stomach and kissed my forehead.

"Yeah. What time is it?" I sat up on my elbows and looked around the room. It was already dark outside and I knew we were supposed to meet his parents for dinner.

"It's about seven. You've been asleep for about three hours. You and baby Cullen must have been tired." He gave me a goofy grin and winked.

"I guess. What have you been up to?"

He coughed and looked down, exhaling a breath. "Well, after your dad woke up, he wanted to go shopping for the baby." He half-smiled. "I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen. That man is out of control...and funny as hell." His laughter shook the bed and made me giggle, despite the fact that I had no idea of the shit storm that awaited me downstairs.

"Oh hell." I brought my hand to my forehead, closed my eyes and flopped back onto my pillow.

"I know. It's pretty bad, B. He loves you; he loves this baby." He rubbed small circles with his fingers on my stomach.

"Don't tell me you bought stuff too." He winced, looked up at me sheepishly and proceeded to raise my shirt to kiss my belly as he spoke.

"I couldn't help it."

"What did you get?" Now I was mildly interested. What girl doesn't like presents? Even if they were for the baby.

"I got something for you."

"Well get it, you dork. I wanna see it," I squealed.

"Okay. Hold on." He got up and walked over to the desk across the room to retrieve a small square box. He stretched out on the bed next to me as he offered up the box in his hand. I rubbed my hands together greedily as I sat up, making us both laugh.

I kept looking up at him as I slowly opened the small box. Inside, sitting on blue velvet, was the most dainty butterfly necklace. It was small, about an inch in width, with diamonds set in the shape of a butterfly. He sat up, carefully took the box from my hands and removed the necklace.

"Lift your hair." I did as he said and turned so that he could link the clasp. I felt warm lips on the back of my neck. "There. Do you like it?"

I looked down, fingering the delicate design as it fell just between my breasts. "I love it." Tears stung my eyes. He always remembered the little things: like my love of butterflies and his sweet butterfly kisses.

"No one has ever cared enough about me or my silly love of butterflies to even do something like this. I-"

"It reminded me of our little person growing inside you. Moving, wiggling and waiting to stretch her wings...you know, like a butterfly." He looked down, then back to me, his cheeks were flushed with color.

I took his hand in mine and put it on my stomach. "It's perfect. This, you and me, all three of us. It is perfect. Thank you. I love you, so much." I brought his palm to my lips and kissed it. He leaned in close and tenderly kissed me before resting his forehead against mine.

"Do you need to rest some more, or are you ready to come down and see what your dad got you guys today?" He kissed my forehead and got up to stand by the bed.

"I thought we were going to meet your parents?"

"Well," he winced, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, "actually mom hasn't felt well since lunch. She thinks she ate something bad at the airport. So I kind of went ahead and told them. I hope that was okay. I just didn't want to delay things any longer. I was excited after spending an afternoon shopping with Charlie." He shrugged. "What can I say?"

"Sure, blame it on Charlie. You two are too much alike." I laughed and he put out his hand for me as I got up from the bed. "It's okay, though. I'm glad you told them. Were they happy or do I need to go into witness protection?"

"Oh yeah, they were happy. Really. I think mom was crying. She tried to blame it on the sickness, but I know better." He shoved his hands in his pockets as we walked side by side down the stairs. "Are you up to seeing all this stuff?"

"It's that bad, huh?"

"It's pretty bad."

"Then let's do it. As long as I've got you beside me, I can handle him." I reached behind his elbow and linked my arm through his. I leaned against his upper arm as we descended the stairs. I had no doubt that as long as we were a team, we could handle anything that came our way, including Grandpa Charlie.

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading. Again, I am fail with replies this week. I will be harassing you all in replies before the week is out. You have been warned...**

**To my girls, modernsafari1, ameliajbedelia, melfin80, and all of you- I love you bunches! **


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